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DUBAI SUCCESS HELPED McILROY MAKE HIS MARK |
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11.13.2009 |
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It took one round with Rory McIlroy for former Open and Masters champion Mark O'Meara to make up his mind.
"He's got it," said the American.
The comment came in January at the Desert Classic. Three days later the teenager became the seventh-youngest winner in European Tour history and now, 10 months later and back in Dubai, he has the chance to become the circuit's second-youngest number one.
Five majors, eight Ryder Cup caps and global acceptance that he was one of the game's all-time greats followed for record-holder Seve Ballesteros, just 19 when he captured the first of six Order of Merit crowns.
McIlroy, it is already agreed, also has the talent to leave a mark that will be remembered by generations to come.
Back to O'Meara.
"Ball-striking-wise he's probably better than Tiger was at 19," he commented after the Northern Irishman outscored him by 13 with an opening eight-under-par 64 at the Emirates Club.
"His technique, I think, is better. Obviously he's going to win quite a few tournaments - not only on the European Tour, but in America too.
"And there's no reason why he can't win a lot of major championships."
All McIlroy had to prove at that stage was that he knew how to win at professional level, something Woods had done within a few weeks of leaving the amateur ranks.
Come the final round he stormed six ahead with six holes to play, but in the end it was a struggle and after three successive bogeys he had to get up and down from a bunker on the last to avoid a play-off with Justin Rose.
The shot was perhaps the most important he has ever played and, with water beyond the flag, he splashed out to three feet and made the putt.
"Phew," said McIlroy afterwards.
He was not referring to the relief he felt, though, but to his leap into the world's top 20 and to second on the 'Race to Dubai' money list.
He added: "I will have to re-assess my goals, but success only makes you more motivated to try to do better."
The US PGA Tour was soon to discover that O'Meara was not just being nice in what he had said.
A quarter-final place in the Accenture Match Play, 20th in the Masters (after the drama of possible disqualification for kicking sand in a bunker), 10th in the US Open and third in the US PGA.
They certainly know about him now.
So much so that United States Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin said recently: "I will be shocked if he is not part of the European team next year. He is that good."
Opposite number Colin Montgomerie does not even rule out putting McIlroy in the first game on the first morning at Celtic Manor, if he does indeed qualify.
That was the position in which he won his four points playing for Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe in Paris in September. The one time he did not lead off was the one time he lost.
"Rory is an outstanding talent, our brightest star in European golf right now," said Montgomerie.
"We have a very special case here and he's a breath of fresh air.
"I will be talking to him and his partner, whoever that partner might be, to give them every opportunity to play where he wants to play."
McIlroy raised eyebrows in May when he talked of the Ryder Cup as "an exhibition" and not high on his priority list, but the Vivendi Trophy (the old Seve Trophy) reminded him how much fun team golf is and a debut against the Americans is now very much on his wish list for 2010.
As is the "Race to Dubai" title in 2009.
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Source:www.sportinglife.com |
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