The world waits for Rory McIlroy

Nurtured by the great Darren Clarke since the age of nine, when they first met on the famous links at Portrush, this is a young man born to greatness.

American golf legend Mark O’Meara, who played with him in Dubai, has already claimed that McIlroy is better than Tiger at the same age. Ernie Els reckons McIlroy will be the world number one in the short rather than the long term.  

Yet still the impact McIlroy has made in only his second season as a pro has been something phenomenal. He became the sixth youngest winner ever on the European Tour when he triumphed at the Dubai Masters a month or so ago, and next month he will look to make some Masters history on his Augusta debut.

Woods, the youngest ever winner at 21 years, three months and 14 days in 1997, had to wait until his third visit to the Magnolias for his first green jacket, while the average Masters champion has played Augusta six times before winning.

Little wonder then that the golf world awaits the moment when McIlroy tames the Tiger and assumes the mantle as his chosen sport’s number one.   

“It would be great to get that accolade one day but I am just trying to play my golf, keep improving and see where it gets me,” said McIlroy when he recently celebrated  his Dubai success at the Bangor club he grew up in.

“It’s obviously a huge compliment to be spoken about in the same breath as Tiger, probably the highest compliment I could be paid. Just to be compared to Tiger is mind blowing.

“I just want to try to keep getting better. If I can just keep doing what I’m doing and playing well then hopefully a few years down the line I might be able to compete with him.

“Tiger has been the best in the world for the last 10 years and I see no reason why he won’t be for another few years. I just want to try and get in the Top 10 in the world and see how it goes from there.”

A noted golf addict, McIlroy once begged his parents to buy him a replica of Tiger’s first winning Augusta card in a memorabilia shop on a visit to America some years ago.

He also counts flags signed by the likes of Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie and a ball used by O’Meara in his souvenir collection back home in Ulster, but Tiger is the one he will always be judged against, the one he will always want to rate himself by.

​
Nster.com