Rory McIlroy - 4 Time Major Winner

AyeGer · 31-01-2022 10:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118557921#Comment_118557921

I’d forgot about the mud on the ball. That makes it even more reckless.

SuprSi · 31-01-2022 10:25am

But surely he has to acknowledge that maybe he's not in the right frame of mind? Either him or his caddy. He was extremely angry with everything, swearing all over the place, and didn't hit an ideal 3-wood off the tee. The ball had muck on it and he had to wait over 5 minutes to hit the shot. And, most importantly, he was in a share for the lead as opposed to needing a birdie to get there.

Yes, if he'd struck it well, hit the green and birdied the hole, everyone would be lauding his bravery, but we all know that every golfer needs to be in the right frame of mind to hit difficult shots. He clearly wasn't in the right state of mind.

Russman · 31-01-2022 10:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118558046#Comment_118558046

I think mostly this ^

I don't know if it was the 5 or 3 wood he hit, but presumably the thought process was he had a better chance of up and downing it for birdie from long left than from 100yds over the water to a tight pin on a firm green. Can't really legislate for him completely mis hitting it, 267 is barely tickling a 3 wood for the likes of him. From what I've seen, generally speaking, tour pros rarely, if ever, "go for" anything, they either have the yardage to make a carry or they don't, its usually a binary choice, with obviously, course management and situations built in.

I think the bigger picture is he really needs to sort his driving out quickly. I don't know if its equipment or technique or mental, but the amount of lefts he had yesterday, seemed very high. I know he did mention something in an interview after last week about fighting the lefts with his 3 wood, can't remember the exact phrase tbh. Wouldn't surprise me to see the old SIM fairway he used before Christmas back in the bag soon.

BoardsMember · 31-01-2022 12:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118553776#Comment_118553776

Well he seems to have taken up that challenge, though the intended meaning may have been lost somewhat.

AyeGer · 31-01-2022 12:35pm

@Russman, the equipment is another problem as well imo. Under his contract he needs to change his driver with each new release whether it suits his game or not. A few years ago he was superb with the TM driver. I can’t remember if it was the M5 or M6. Then he gets told we have a new driver out this year Rory we’d like you to put it in the bag to help sales. Same with fairway woods etc. Thats the position he has put himself in I suppose signing a contract with a company who releases new clubs yearly.

Motivator · 31-01-2022 1:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118558847#Comment_118558847

Footballers have the same contract, new boots come out and they’re obligated to wear them. But, what the manufacturers do is dummy some boots up to make them look like the new pair of boots but really they’re the old pair the player wore just dolled up. For example, the soleplate of the boot is probably the most important feature for footballers and what the likes of Nike do is put the players old soleplate on the new boot and paint it the same colour as the retail version that sells for €250 in the shops.

Im amazed Taylormade aren’t doing this for Rory or any other player who aren’t suited to the new driver. Would be very easy for them to get a Sim driver and paint it up to look like the new Stealth driver. Sure, it would sound different but the pros drivers are so customised it sounds different to the retail drivers anyway.

The Big Easy · 31-01-2022 3:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118558220#Comment_118558220

I know he did mention something in an interview after last week about fighting the lefts with his 3 wood, can't remember the exact phrase tbh.

He said he knew it has a left in it, but then corrected himself a little to avoid the Bryson dressing down debacle and said obviously it was a bad swing too.

He's obviously not happy with the new carbon stuff yet, it might take a little bedding in and they're paying him plenty to play it, so he's in a bit of a bind. It's obviously not just the equipment, but it's a factor currently imo.

Has anyone won with a carbon wood yet?! 😅

Russman · 31-01-2022 5:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118559991#Comment_118559991

That's the phrase alright, "knew it has a left in it", couldn't remember it exactly. Not to say that TM don't make good equipment or anything, but I'm amazed that a top player would put a club in play that he/she wasn't 100% happy with, regardless of contracts (I know contracts do come into things obviously). Although I suppose he may have travelled light to the middle east. But still, I mean what are TM going to do ? Take Rory to court over not using their newest 3 wood ? PR disaster. Not pay him a chunk of his fee ? PR disaster if it ever got out. Probably Rory being the loyal servant more than anything as I'd guess he's big enough to be able to say no to a club.

Tommy F had a Scotty in play in Dubai despite being a relatively recent TM signing. Possibly on a different deal I suppose.

Meh, I dunno, we're all just playing hurler on the ditch for a bit of fun anyway 😀, he hit enough good shots with it during the week that it's still almost all on the player at the end of the day.

The Big Easy · 31-01-2022 7:24pm

Aye, it's fun to speculate alright. I imagine the jump to using carbon is the result of serious R&D investment though and maybe more important than their usual rebadging exercises and as such the players would be under more pressure to play the new model.

Just speculation on my part though. If he's not confident in the club when he's standing over it on the tee, he's in trouble for the season, hopefully he sorts it out one way or another pretty soon. It would be criminal to blow another shot at the Masters due to equipment teething issues. As you said he was swinging fairly well late in the season with the Sim.

He's some lad is Rory though winning and throwing away tournaments when not at his best and with dodgy equipment. He must be some player! 😉

AyeGer · 31-01-2022 7:28pm

Either Rick Sheild or Mark Crossfield we’re saying this carbon face was being worked on for 20 years. TM seem to think carbon is the future. It would be very difficult for their tour pros to not play it.

03-03-2022 6:36pm

Great start in Bay Hill. -7 with 3 holes to play. Was +1 after 2.

Dr. Bre · 03-03-2022 6:55pm

hes -5 under for the par 5s

Mantis Toboggan · 03-03-2022 7:35pm

Good start hopefully can keep it going, 10 under for the next 3 rounds and he'll be hard to beat.

Looked very handy today with the wedge in hand and 5 under for the par 5's. Seemed to be hitting mostly fairways.

eagle eye · 04-03-2022 7:32am

I seem something in him yesterday that I haven't seen in a long time and that's hunger. He looks like he really wants it, looked focused all day.

Xander10 · 04-03-2022 10:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118729595#Comment_118729595

Hope so, would love him to get back on the winning trail. But, can't help feeling we will see a patch where he puts himself out of contention.

Dr. Bre · 04-03-2022 10:58am

He’s won bayhill before . I think he will get done this weekend

thefallingman · 04-03-2022 11:05am

If he can keep his concentration for the final 3 rounds he has a chance his game looks better than it has in awhile, when he was younger he used to run away with the lead but that Rory has been missing for years but it would be a great time for him to come back, with the masters looming aswell

Innish_Rebel · 04-03-2022 12:27pm

Listening to Nick Dougherty & Wayne Riley last night they mentioned (a lot) that they both played with Rory last week & by the sound of it were absolutely blown away by the way he was playing but especially his driver - great to hear, Rory with the driver working is always going to be a dangerous Rory.

These are two former pros who play and see a lot of golf, I know we all like to talk up our heros, but that really sounded promising. Just wish I'd followed TC on NoLayingUp with his bet @ Rory to be first round leader @ 22:1...

thefallingman · 04-03-2022 12:37pm

Wouldn't it be great to have a few of these top guys really hit form for Augusta, the game needs a dominant number 1 in my opinion to drive the rest on to catch him, like Tiger and Norman or Faldo before

eagle eye · 04-03-2022 5:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118730653#Comment_118730653

Well it's not going to happen. There's too many right now at a very high level like Rahm, Morikawa, Hovland, Scheffler, Rory and then you have JT and DJ in a slump but they could come back anytime.

thefallingman · 04-03-2022 6:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118732616#Comment_118732616

you’re right lots of great players but there’s usually one dominant player if you look back through history, I think Rahm could be that man personally

Dav010 · 04-03-2022 6:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118732791#Comment_118732791

I can only remember two, Nicklaus and Tiger.

thefallingman · 04-03-2022 6:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118732798#Comment_118732798

Greg Norman was number one for a long time, Faldo was top dog for awhile, Tom Watson ? Ben hogan ? Im sure there’s more if anyone knows

Mantis Toboggan · 04-03-2022 8:28pm

Can't see anyone ever dominating like tiger did for a long long time.

Dav010 · 04-03-2022 8:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118733265#Comment_118733265

With the standard of golf currently being played, it would take a near perfect golfer, with near perfect consistency to dominate like Tiger. Can’t see it ever happening again on that scale.