Its Rory’s World

by Jeff Skinner

Rory McIlroy sat in the locker room at Royal Liverpool spying his name on the Claret Jug just below that of Phil Mickelson. And when he looked further he saw Tiger Woods’ name in three spots and the names of all the greats that have survived and won the Open Championship.

But while he appreciated the past winners this was a day to live in the present and look to his future. And the future for Rory is more than bright, it’s brilliant.

McIlroy’s third major championship leaves him just a Masters victory short of the career grand slam. Immortals Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are the only golfers to achieve that at a younger age than the 25 year old Rory and that is the rarest of company.

We’ve heard the cry of a youth movement before. Somewhere there was going to be the next golfer to take over the game. And when Rory came on to the scene and won in Dubai in 2009 he was crowned as the next Tiger. Even Tiger’s good friend Mark O’Meara compared Rory’s game to the 14 time major winner.

It didn’t take Rory long to start racking up majors but first he had to blow one. After self destructing at the 2011 Masters he came back to blow away the field at the U.S. Open and he did the same the following year at the 2012 PGA Championship.

With this Open Championship he now has three majors and he will move to second in the world rankings. He puts to rest any debate who is the best young golfer in the world. Adam Scott may have the top spot but it won’t be long before Rory is back at the top.

Rory’s game was in full bloom at Hoylake yesterday and when his game is on no one can touch him. The Tiger Woods of 2000 had a game so great, so much better than his competitors he won the U.S. Open by fifteen strokes…fifteen strokes.

I would venture to say that when Rory’s game is on as it was this week at Liverpool only a circa 2000 Tiger Woods could catch him. As we have seen recently Woods’ game is nowhere near his best ever.

The tide has changed in golf with Tiger and Phil and Ernie being upstaged by Adam and Martin and Rory.

The likable Northern Irishman knows where he stands in the history of golf and can’t wait for the next step. “I’m immensely proud of myself,” McIlroy said. “To sit here, 25 years of age, and win my third major championship and be three-quarters of the way to a career Grand Slam … yeah, I never dreamed of being at this point in my career so quickly.”

“I just want to be the best golfer that I can be,” McIlroy added. “I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability.”

His career is back on track and on a historic trajectory and he’s up for the challenge.”I’d love to win a lot more of them and, even though there’s one left this year that I desperately want to try and win, I’m looking forward to next April and trying to complete the career Grand Slam.”

So now, much like Phil Mickelson had done with the U.S. Open, Rory has set his sights and his focus on that one particular major that has eluded him. He’s 25 with three majors and another probable 20 years of attempts at The Masters. I think its money in the bank.

It’s Rory’s world and we are lucky to be living in it.