McIlroy cruises to first major title

[Doomsday101]

BETHESDA, Md. — Rory McIlroy went into the final round of the 111th U.S. Open with an eight-stroke lead over Y.E. Yang, turning Sunday's final round into less of a competition than a victory parade. But even his fellow competitors knew it would be more than that, a string of tiny numbers in tiny boxes that in a way would make up the coordinates of golf's future.

Showing that he had indeed learned from his mishaps in the majors, including a final-round 80 at the Masters in April, McIlroy birdied the first hole and cruised from there, carding a 69 for a 16-under total and an eight-shot victory over Jason Day.

"I felt like I got over the Masters pretty quickly, and I kept telling you guys that," McIlroy said at his press conference Sunday evening. "I don't know if you believed me or not."



Read more: http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2078588,00.html#ixzz1Pp169Wnd

 

[jimmy40]

I'm surprised he's the only one that went crazy low. Heat wave before the Open kept the rough from growing, rain during the Open softened up the greens. But he played great and was the only one.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm surprised he's the only one that went crazy low. Heat wave before the Open kept the rough from growing, rain during the Open softened up the greens. But he played great and was the only one.

No doubt the scoring was high but tee to green McIlroy was dead on. Jason Day finished 8 under and for a US Open that is a very good score but Rory was just on the mark all 4 days.

 

[CowboyDan]

Rory's game is so tight right now.......he's playing out of his mind. It's fun to watch, and I'm not even a fan of him. Glad to see he got redemption for The Masters though. As for the scoring record, that's the easiest US Open course those guys have played in a long, long time. Soft greens = low scores. Rory went super low because his game is so in-tune right now.

 

[Doomsday101]

Rory's game is so tight right now.......he's playing out of his mind. It's fun to watch, and I'm not even a fan of him. Glad to see he got redemption for The Masters though. As for the scoring record, that's the easiest US Open course those guys have played in a long, long time. Soft greens = low scores. Rory went super low because his game is so in-tune right now.

I think this is the 1st of many Majors Rory will win.

He learned from mistakes at the Masters and was able to put that behind him and move forward. Pretty mature for a 22 year old kid.

 

[CowboyDan]

I think this is the 1st of many Majors Rory will win.

He learned from mistakes at the Masters and was able to put that behind him and move forward. Pretty mature for a 22 year old kid.

Agreed 100%. I don't think he's the next Tiger, but he definitely has the game, age, maturity and mental makeup to win a bunch of tourneys.

 

[big dog cowboy]

This guy was a cool as the other side of the pillow.

 

[Doomsday101]

Agreed 100%. I don't think he's the next Tiger, but he definitely has the game, age, maturity and mental makeup to win a bunch of tourneys.

I think that is hard to say if Rory is the next Tiger or not. Way too early to Know what kind of career he will have. The majority of his career is still in front of him.

 

[CowboyDan]

I think that is hard to say if Rory is the next Tiger or not. Way too early to Know what kind of career he will have. The majority of his career is still in front of him.

I hear ya.......but it's fun to speculate. Tiger changed the game....Rory's playing the game incredibly well lately, but he's not changing it. I also think Tiger has a killer instinct that very few golfers have ever had. Jack had it, not sure that anyone else has ever been on the level of those two.

 

[Doomsday101]

I hear ya.......but it's fun to speculate. Tiger changed the game....Rory's playing the game incredibly well lately, but he's not changing it. I also think Tiger has a killer instinct that very few golfers have ever had. Jack had it, not sure that anyone else has ever been on the level of those two.

Well a 22 year old just won it before that Jack was the only 22 year old to win the US Open. I love Tiger but how did he change the game? he went out and won and if Rory does that he will be looked at in the same light. I do think it is way too early to make claims of Rory as the next great of the game but at 22 his best days are still ahead of him.

 

[CowboyDan]

Well a 22 year old just won it before that Jack was the only 22 year old to win the US Open. I love Tiger but how did he change the game? he went out and won and if Rory does that he will be looked at in the same light. I do think it is way too early to make claims of Rory as the next great of the game but at 22 his best days are still ahead of him.

Tiger changed the game of golf through his distance and his fitness level. Courses were "Tiger-proofed", or lengthened, to take away his distance advantage. At the same time, the field started taking up rigorous fitness regimens to get in shape and compete with Tiger in distance and stamina.
Tiger also brought tons and tons of exposure and popularity worldwide to a game that was less popular before him.

I'm pretty sure Tiger was 21 when he won his first US Open.....or maybe it was just his first Major. Not sure, I gotta look that up.

 

[Doomsday101]

Tiger changed the game of golf through his distance and his fitness level. Courses were "Tiger-proofed", or lengthened, to take away his distance advantage. At the same time, the field started taking up rigorous fitness regimens to get in shape and compete with Tiger in distance and stamina.
Tiger also brought tons and tons of exposure and popularity worldwide to a game that was less popular before him.

I'm pretty sure Tiger was 21 when he won his first US Open.....or maybe it was just his first Major. Not sure, I gotta look that up.

and before him it was Jack and before him it was Palmer and before him it was Hogan and the list goes on. I think Tiger is great but I also think Rory with his swing will win many more majors before his career is over and that is how all players are judged. Again I'm not ready to put Rory in the elite company but I'm not ready to claim he will not be.

 

[CowboyDan]

and before him it was Jack and before him it was Palmer and before him it was Hogan and the list goes on. I think Tiger is great but I also think Rory with his swing will win many more majors before his career is over and that is how all players are judged. Again I'm not ready to put Rory in the elite company but I'm not ready to claim he will not be.

You asked me how Tiger changed the game and I answered you.

You don't have to put Rory in elite company. As I said before, it's fun to speculate. It's called "sports talk". It adds to the conversation. Not trying to offend you, just wanted to talk "what ifs" for a moment.

 

[Doomsday101]

You asked me how Tiger changed the game and I answered you.

You don't have to put Rory in elite company. As I said before, it's fun to speculate. It's called "sports talk". It adds to the conversation. Not trying to offend you, just wanted to talk "what ifs" for a moment.

I'm not offended I just think it is crazy to think Rory at his age winning a major this early in his career can't achive the same level of greatness as those like Tiger or Jack.

 

[casmith07]

Tiger changed the game of golf through his distance and his fitness level. Courses were "Tiger-proofed", or lengthened, to take away his distance advantage. At the same time, the field started taking up rigorous fitness regimens to get in shape and compete with Tiger in distance and stamina.
Tiger also brought tons and tons of exposure and popularity worldwide to a game that was less popular before him.

I'm pretty sure Tiger was 21 when he won his first US Open.....or maybe it was just his first Major. Not sure, I gotta look that up.

Tiger was 21 when he won his first Major. All of the last 3 or 4 golf greats were either 21 or 22 when they won their first Major.

I would like to see Rory win consistently like Tiger or Jack before we start elevating him to all-time great status, though. It's the typical media overvaluation/undervaluation. You win you're the greatest of all time, you lose you're a bum.

 

[CowboyDan]

I'm not offended I just think it is crazy to think Rory at his age winning a major this early in his career can't achive the same level of greatness as those like Tiger or Jack.

You think it's crazy to think that? I think it's more likely that he won't than that he will. It's not an easy task to win 14 majors like Tiger, let alone 18 like Jack. It's a phenomenal accomplishment. As we've seen time and again in sports, life gets more complicated the older you get.

 

[Doomsday101]

You think it's crazy to think that? I think it's more likely that he won't than that he will. It's not an easy task to win 14 majors like Tiger, let alone 18 like Jack. It's a phenomenal accomplishment. As we've seen time and again in sports, life gets more complicated the older you get.

I think most on the PGA tour recognize that Rory is special. Will he be to that level? Who knows? To do what he has done at this early stage in his career is impressive and a good start. It is not an accident that guys like Jack and Tiger won at a very early age on center stage when so many other talented players have failed.

 

[CowboyDan]

I think most on the PGA tour recognize that Rory is special. Will he be to that level? Who knows? To do what he has done at this early stage in his career is impressive and a good start. It is not an accident that guys like Jack and Tiger won at a very early age on center stage when so many other talented players have failed.

He's got 2 wins on tour.
3 3rds.
11 Top 10s.
18 Top 25s.

 

[Doomsday101]

He's got 2 wins on tour.
3 3rds.
11 Top 10s.
18 Top 25s.

And is at the start of his career only Bobby Jones was younger winning his 1st major. Again players on the tour know how good this kid is and how good he can be.

 

[CowboyDan]

And is at the start of his career only Bobby Jones was younger winning his 1st major. Again players on the tour know how good this kid is and how good he can be.

There's no question he has serious talent and is playing great golf right now.
But as I said before "Tiger changed the game....Rory's playing the game incredibly well lately, but he's not changing it. I also think Tiger has a killer instinct that very few golfers have ever had. Jack had it, not sure that anyone else has ever been on the level of those two."