THE SUCCESS OF Rory McIlroy in the US Open offers “lessons” for the Republican party in next year’s US presidential race.

So says the Republican party itself which posted a blog on its official website this week entitled: What 2012 Republican Contenders Can Learn From Rory McIlroy.

The blog noted that McIlroy’s strategy as he headed into the US Open in mid-June was “to set an overall goal, do his best, play things out in small segments on the course… and not pay much attention to the leaderboard”.

This approach could serve Republican challengers to President Barack Obama in 2012, the blog continues: “Setting a goal and then playing it out day by day is also great advice for living our lives.”

It concludes:

The nomination process for Republicans will be determined by many factors. But the election candidate who approaches the contest as McIlroy did is likely to end up playing in the final twosome in the fall of 2012 against President Obama. In the process, the election candidates should stay grounded and not take themselves too seriously.

As McIlroy’s mom reportedly said to him over and over again growing up, and as I heard in my Irish household many, many times: “Get over yourself”.

Read the full blog: What 2012 Republican Contenders Can Learn From Rory McIlroy>