Rory McIlroy - 4 Time Major Winner

FixdePitchmark

Jayop wrote: »

Would Tiger t his best dominate with the current field?

It is an interesting question .

The easy answer is yes, because it is probably right.

See your question sort of answers it - Tiger Dominated , he basically won psychologically even when he wasn't playing his best.

This bunch are great golfers but think about them.

Spieth (early yet to say)
Day
Mcilroy
Johnson
Fowler
Watson

They seem - flaky , weak, hot and cold, unpredictable, needing confidence.

none of that seemed to come into the equation with Tiger. He was determined, needed to win, wanted to win all the time - liked wearing Red on Sunday - even think about that.

See the likes of Rory turning up to the Irish open and missing the cut - I mean that would be just - unimaginable. We all seen woods play well in actual roaring pain - Rory walked off with tooth ache at an event. :rolleyes:

FixdePitchmark

mickmackey1 wrote: »

Good post there Fix. But looking back, Tiger let plenty majors slip - Micheel, Beem, Curtis, Hamilton all took titles during what should have been the height of his dominance.

Look if it is not your week, your not playing great , others will win - that is golf. People have great weeks , golf is golf.

Tiger had swing changes - mood changes - personal issues.
But he didn't let majors go , because , you know, he wasn't in the mood that year - it just wasn't part of the equation.

alxmorgan

I think Rory has it spot on myself. Let's remember that Jack came second in majors 19 times. Sometimes it just happens that way.

The way I see it is what does a 65 year old Rory sitting in his chair think of his life.

Does he sit there with 16 majors but regret the time he missed out on with friends, family and living a full life outside golf.

Does he sit there with 8 majors and regret he didn't focus more on golf and winning the big prizes because he did have a balance in life.

I can't answer for him but my two cents are that it's just a game at the end of the day. I loved the way he was still playing football with his mates. It doesn't mean that when he is practicing and playing he is not giving 100% just that it does not have to become all consuming.

Russman

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

It is an interesting question .

The easy answer is yes, because it is probably right.

See your question sort of answers it - Tiger Dominated , he basically won psychologically even when he wasn't playing his best.

This bunch are great golfers but think about them.

Spieth (early yet to say)
Day
Mcilroy
Johnson
Fowler
Watson

They seem - flaky , weak, hot and cold, unpredictable, needing confidence.

none of that seemed to come into the equation with Tiger. He was determined, needed to win, wanted to win all the time - liked wearing Red on Sunday - even think about that.

See the likes of Rory turning up to the Irish open and missing the cut - I mean that would be just - unimaginable. We all seen woods play well in actual roaring pain - Rory walked off with tooth ache at an event. :rolleyes:

I can see your point, but I think flaky, weak etc is a little bit OTT. Granted, I wouldn't be including DJ on that list, he'll finish up his career with the same amount of majors as me I reckon ! I don't think Tiger would have dominated quite so much, for the reason that, a lot like Phil, he seems prone to flashing at the ball with the driver when someone is knocking it past him and with the current top players all hitting it so far, I suspect his competitive nature would derail him on the odd occasion. For sure he'd win loads but his length/power wouldn't have been able to bully players now, like it once did. Purely a theory on my part of course !

As someone mentioned about Jack having all those 2nd & 3rd places, I'm sure some of them he probably feels he threw away and some wins he probably feels he backed into. Such is golf.

Tiger isn't a great comparison IMHO. His record is obviously incredible, a once in a generation player, some of his stats are probably more impressive than simply 14 Majors won, especially the missed cuts. But, personally I'd like to have seen him play some different events alongside the ones he won 5, 6, 7 times on the same course. There's a crazy percentage of his wins on about 6 or 7 courses. That's not a bad thing at all, but he generally didn't play courses where he was likely to miss a cut or needed to drive it straight-ish.

Anyway, back to Rory, I think he's doing just fine. Sure, his putting can be a bit off, but I think he's just always going to be streaky, the nature of the beast and the sport. I'd give him a free pass for 2013 tbh, changing equipment would have been huge, especially going to the company he went to. Driving is so important to his game and they just couldn't get a driver to work AND fit his eye.

I think everyone expecting him to win x amount of majors sometimes disregard the fact the there's 100+ other talented players trying to win too on any given week. Sometimes you peak the week of a major, sometime it might be two weeks later. Luck has a huge part to play too.

valoren

Hopefully Rory at Augusta doesn't become our generations Greg Norman.
Norman, a dominant driver of the ball at the peak of his career, personable, wealthy and popular,
he picked up Majors, so there was no questioning his credentials, but arguably didn't capitalise on his perceived potential.
It's the nature of the beast, here's a guy who won the Open twice and we will argue that he never won a Major in the States, he never won the Masters etc etc.

He could never get the job done at Augusta and as we know he certainly had his chances.
It was always a question of when Greg Norman would win a green jacket.
His game was tailor made for it but he was dealt some cruel blows there during his career.
Some tournaments he threw away (96) and some he lost to freak shots (Larry Mize holing his chip in 87).
We could argue that Rory has had his 'Norman 96' tournament in 2011.
Let's hope Augusta does what it does to someone like Mickelson and simply inspires him.
When he is 65 and reflecting on his career, the absence of a green jacket would be the glaring omission.

Domo1982

alxmorgan wrote: »

I think Rory has it spot on myself. Let's remember that Jack came second in majors 19 times. Sometimes it just happens that way.

The way I see it is what does a 65 year old Rory sitting in his chair think of his life.

Does he sit there with 16 majors but regret the time he missed out on with friends, family and living a full life outside golf.

Does he sit there with 8 majors and regret he didn't focus more on golf and winning the big prizes because he did have a balance in life.

I can't answer for him but my two cents are that it's just a game at the end of the day. I loved the way he was still playing football with his mates. It doesn't mean that when he is practicing and playing he is not giving 100% just that it does not have to become all consuming.

A little mawkish for me but hey maybe you're right...hard to know

Another good work/life/family balance example would be Gary Player. He sat out a lot of Majors due to the time it took to travel back in the day or didn't want to be away from family for prolonged periods. He touches on this in the Sky sports Documentary and you can feel the regret seep from him when he is being interviewed.

I fact I had the pleasure of meeting him at Fota around 5 years ago and he's is a top class fella.

alxmorgan

Domo1982 wrote: »

A little mawkish for me but hey maybe you're right...hard to know

Another good work/life/family balance example would be Gary Player. He sat out a lot of Majors due to the time it took to travel back in the day or didn't want to be away from family for prolonged periods. He touches on this in the Sky sports Documentary and you can feel the regret seep from him when he is being interviewed.

I fact I had the pleasure of meeting him at Fota around 5 years ago and he's is a top class fella.

I have yet to meet someone who regrets the time spent with their family. I have no doubt he regrets not playing in more majors but probably wishes travels times were more like todays than anything.

FixdePitchmark

Domo1982 wrote: »

A little mawkish for me but hey maybe you're right...hard to know

Another good work/life/family balance example would be Gary Player. He sat out a lot of Majors due to the time it took to travel back in the day or didn't want to be away from family for prolonged periods. He touches on this in the Sky sports Documentary and you can feel the regret seep from him when he is being interviewed.

I fact I had the pleasure of meeting him at Fota around 5 years ago and he's is a top class fella.

I guess that is the point Domo - he is looking for a balance - it is very wise for a guy at such a young age to be doing that. But what makes it strange for outsiders who follow sports - he was looking for that before he was even 25 :eek:.

Most people in every other walk of life are looking (even top sport) - at building and peaking at that age.

We just havent seen someone at that level so casual about it at that age.
Like what would he win if he was as committed as a

Nadal
Woods
Federer
Ronaldo
Messi
Woods

Even some Irish GAA amateurs are more commited at that age.

And after all that - he has 4 majors. Unreal stuff.

You just get a sense that Rory put so much in when he was younger - he is chasing something he missed out on, or just got burnt out. He takes time out and comes back refreshed. It is interesting. It actually works - but there will always be a question in me - what could he have done if he was 100 % , he may actualy peak in the next ten years and win a crazy amount.

Fair play to him in a way - I'd love a real interview with him (Kimmage etc), he seems well wrapped up these days.

FixdePitchmark

alxmorgan wrote: »

I have yet to meet someone who regrets the time spent with their family. I have no doubt he regrets not playing in more majors but probably wishes travels times were more like todays than anything.

I do get your point alx - but on Rory - he was going on like that in his early 20s - I haven't met anyone who said they wanted to spend more time with their family in their early 20s

He doesn't have his own family yet.

I mean, the girlfriend at the side of the course was another bad day at the office (IMO) - Work is work.

Domo1982

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

It actually works - but there will always be a question in me - what could he have done if he was 100 % , he may actualy peak in the next ten years and win a crazy amount.

Fair play to him in a way - I'd love a real interview with him (Kimmage etc), he seems well wrapped up these days.

I think this is it for me - Perhaps we all thought he was going to be one kind of animal and he has actually developed into something else. That's fine of course and is his choice but that question will be there and is intriguing!

alxmorgan

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I do get your point alx - but on Rory - he was going on like that in his early 20s - I haven't met anyone who said they wanted to spend more time with their family in their early 20s

He doesn't have his own family yet.

I mean, the girlfriend at the side of the course was another bad day at the office (IMO) - Work is work.

I hear ya but we need to remember he has been doing this since he was a kid. Look at Tiger - he missed so much in life and then went a bit OTT in trying to relive the lost years.

And we must also consider that there is a chance that Rory is better with balance. Perhaps he tried the manic focus and found it was worse for him and his game than the balanced approach.

abff

I've no idea why, but I've been getting a growing feeling over the last number of weeks that Rory is going to win the Masters this year. Hope I get a chance to quote this post after the Masters, but it's a very strong gut feeling. I might even have a few bob on him (apologies to mods).

benny79

abff wrote: »

I've no idea why, but I've been getting a growing feeling over the last number of weeks that Rory is going to win the Masters this year. Hope I get a chance to quote this post after the Masters, but it's a very strong gut feeling. I might even have a few bob on him (apologies to mods).

Snap have the same feeling myself and have had it for a while!

Thing with Rory is it takes him a few comps to get going and he hasn't even hit top form yet and he has been there abouts

Ronney

benny79 wrote: »

Snap have the same feeling myself and have had it for a while!

Thing with Rory is it takes him a few comps to get going and he hasn't even hit top form yet and he has been there abouts

See where your coming from lads but his approach play from 70-150 has been shocking recently. He is more likely to hit a green with a 3 iron than a wedge. Part of this could be him playin aggressive and going for every pin.

Think it is lining up to be a great Masters. Of the recent champs Phil,Scott and Bubba all in top form. Sergio, Fowler and Rory all been in the mix too. Speight probably the only top 10 showing a dip in form

PARlance

Domo1982 wrote: »

Really? - Trying to relive his lost kids years so he started womanising and using callgirls regularly?

Not sure what kinda wild upbringing you guys down in Clare are getting!:)

He was a divil for the lego too. Didn't make a many headlines though.

Loire

Ronney wrote: »

...but his approach play from 70-150 has been shocking recently. He is more likely to hit a green with a 3 iron than a wedge. Part of this could be him playin aggressive and going for every pin.

I wonder because his putting isn't the strongest at the moment he feels he has to stitch every wedge and is as you say, playing them too aggressive?

I really hope he's in the hunt on the back 9 at Augusta. It's such a pity he imploded when he had the chance before but I think if he gets a sniff like that again he will be a lot better.

HighLine

Not the most exciting video in the world but Rory was just streaming live from the range at API. Nothing better than watching pros hit on the range and being able to see the ball flights which you can see here thanks to the floodlights.

https://www.facebook.com/RoryMcIlroy/videos/vb.152976388115795/986915074721918/?type=2&theater

Rikand

I watched that live myself this morning. was pretty cool

LuckyGent88

Having a shocker so far today. 3 over thru 8. Driving all over the place with an OB off the first.

m1ck007

Is this the beginning of the end of rory

dan_ep82

m1ck007 wrote: »

Is this the beginning of the end of rory

Yeah sure him and Speith may just get normal jobs:pac:

markthespark77

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Yeah sure him and Speith may just get normal jobs:pac:

will find it hard to get the job in the pro shop.

m1ck007

He might be loosing interest tho

HighLine

m1ck007 wrote: »

Is this the beginning of the end of rory

:D Bit early to be calling that. It's a temporary lull. That's golf. Too much talent to stay down for long.

Hoof Hearted2

He won't be winning a masters playing like that.

spacecoyote

HighLine wrote: »

:D Bit early to be calling that. It's a temporary lull. That's golf. Too much talent to stay down for long.

Exactly, the reason he was defending spieth last week on Twitter was because he said it's ridiculous the pressure the top guys are under. It's like they are not allowed to ever have a single off day or bad run of tournaments.

A week ago he was challenging to win the tournament & people were claiming he's back to his best. Then he has 1 bad round & suddenly he's not interested anymore

ForeRight

Hoof Hearted2 wrote: »

He won't be winning a masters playing like that.

Anymore insightful breaking news for us?

valoren

All that really matters is the scorecard. Adding it all up at the end of the week. Not you sabermetrics type stats.
Who cares if Rory is missing fairways. Is he posting the scores or not is the real question. Making cuts, finishing well, winning tournaments.

When you have so much time to fill on Golf channels, you end up talking about everything and anything.
You end up with nothing but noise, forecasting and speculating.

I'd liken it to the stock market to borrow a crude analogy.

The top guys like Rory, Spieth et al are like the dominant companies. They are quality companies so the probability of going bankrupt (a golfer doing a Baker-Finch) is remote.

Everyday these companies play a round (think of a normal trading day).
Somedays they are up, somedays they are down. Sometimes they are down a few days in a row.

You'll always get noise with commentators saying it's the end, the sky is falling in etc.
They are still quality and have not suddenly become crap companies because of a few down days in the market.

Hoof Hearted2

ForeRight wrote: »

Anymore insightful breaking news for us?

He won't win any tournament playing like that :cool:

You asketh and you shall receiveth.

mafc

-5 today after 12, -2 overall
Good comeback after yesterday's poor round,