So congratulations to Rory McIlroy on capturing his second major at the tender age of 23. The way he lit up the front nine in the third round showed he meant business and set him up to seemingly cruise to a record victory of 8 stokes and re-writing the record books. For me the key moment was when his drive finished up a tree early in the third round. He calmly took his drop and got it up and down to save par. Classy.
Now many golf writers have been quick to compare him to Tiger. Will he be as dominant, win as many majors, etc. personally I think it’s best to not compare the two. Rory is Rory and Tiger is Tiger. Instead of comparing lets just marvel at how he can play the game, with fearless attacking golf. Earlier in his career it may have cost him a few titles, but now he has more experience and dare I say a maturity (even though he’s only 23) that helps him to close out tournaments and at times crush the field. What’s more impressive is that this season he has struggled a bit and missed a few cuts, yet when it mattered in the last major of the season he got the job done, emphatically.
Ian Poulter made an amazing front nine charge, birdieing the first five holes and at one point getting within two shots of the lead. Unfortunately he was unable to sustain his momentum and struggled on the back nine.
A few years ago he said this to a reporter about Rory. ‘He hits it a long way. He hits it straight. He owns good distance control with his irons. He’s a solid putter. And he has the right mental resolve to succeed in this game,’ he said. He then threw his arms up in the air and rhetorically asked, ‘That’s golf. What else is there?’
Rory is here to stay and the way he is capable of playing is ominous for the rest of the guys on tour, including Tiger.
Scores of 67 & 66 at the weekend on what’s rated the toughest course in North America is scary golf.
Halfway to the Grand Slam and returning to the world’s number one spot. Not bad for the young man from Hollywood, Northern Ireland.
Take a bow Rory, the golfing world is your oyster.
Comments on this entry are closed.