Rory McIlroy has insisted that he will not allow off-course issues to distract him as he looks to recover from a disappointing 2013.
The 24-year-old struggled for long spells of last season after signing a lucrative deal to use Nike clubs, and his relationship with tennis player Caroline Wozniacki was also questioned by some of his critics during his bad patch of form.
However, McIlroy claims that he is feeling relaxed ahead of the new season, which begins at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Thursday.
"You're thinking of other things when you really shouldn't have to," the Northern Irishman told reporters. "But it's the last year I'm ever going to have to go through something like that.
"I've learned from it and I'm smarter because of it. It's great that I've gone through it at this stage in my career and not 15 years down the line.
"Everything just seems to have fallen into place nicely and I can just go out there and focus on my golf."
McIlroy recorded one win in 2013 when he beat Adam Scott to the Australian Open.
Callum Mulvihill
