I feel like I came through this year stronger and wiser, and I can go into 2015 in a much better place.

Sport was an obvious favourite of mine, and not only golf. I was, and still am, a big rugby fan.

I am a proud product of Irish golf and the Golfing Union of Ireland and am hugely honoured to have come from very rich Irish sporting roots I am also a proud Ulsterman who grew up in Northern Ireland. That is my background and always will be.

As long as I keep enjoying my golf, then hopefully I'll be able to play well.

The fact is, I've always felt more British than Irish. Maybe it was the way I was brought up, I don't know, but I have always felt more of a connection with the U.K. than with Ireland.

It is never easy to win but it is a lot easier to win when you play well. The key is winning golf tournaments when you are not playing so well. Managing your game is something that I feel that I am still learning to do.

Because I lived so close to the school and walked there every day, I used to enjoy the school bus trips.