Celtic Tiger versus Tiger Woods
Who is the best teenage golfer today? Those who saw the LPGA SBS Open might say that Michele Wie is. Wie had the lead but faltered down the stretch, but still played well in her first tournament as a card carrying
LPGA member. The best teenage golfer has to be the shaggy haired, Irish phenom Rory McIlroy. He has already won on the European Tour and is currently ranked sixteenth in the World Rankings.
McIlroy is being compared to a young Tiger Woods by someone who really knows, Tiger’s close friend and playing partner Mark O’Meara. The Irish Press have started calling him the “Celtic Tiger.” That’s all fine with McIlroy. He’s a big Tiger fan and may even play some practice rounds at the Masters with Woods if O’Meara can broker that deal.
Fortunately, we will not have to wait that long to see McIlroy play here in the U.S. He is playing in next week’s World Golf Championships. With all the golf insiders speculating that Woods will return then, this could be a showdown between Tiger and the Celtic Tiger. Believe it or not Woods is having to face kids that had his poster on their walls and idolized him as they grew up. Yes, Rory McIlroy all grown up at nineteen and ready to take on the best players in the world. Let’s hope O’Meara is right and we see the start of a rivalry with Woods as the old man and Rory as the new Tiger, Celtic Tiger that is.
Jack Nicklaus Plays Again
Some things never change. When Jack Nicklaus plays golf he draws a crowd. He could tee it up at the South Pole on Super Bowl Sunday in the middle of a blizzard and he would have an audience and I don’t mean the penguins. I’d pay to see Jack play until he’s a hundred. Jack played in charity tournament the other day with Player, Watson, Trevino, and Floyd. That’s a bunch of heavy hitters. This current generation of golfers has a long way to go to compare to that group of Hall of Famers. Jack rarely plays in public any longer because he can’t play like the Nicklaus of old. That’s all right Jack. When we see you play we still see the greatest golfer of all time, no matter what you shoot. Read the story.
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