Why box office appeal of Rory and Tiger can give golf a boost
IT is hard to quantify golf’s mini renaissance in recent weeks. There are some signposts, like the record number of spectators crammed around Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, or the 600,000 Americans who tuned in to NBC’s coverage of the opening round, up 52% on last year. But the wider impact is less tangible: the pub conversations, the glimpses in the media, the swell of punters at the range.
There is certainly a surge of something, and at the centre of it all is Tiger Woods.
The nostalgic sight of the 42-year-old competing and beating some of the best golfers in the world is exactly what brought the crowds to Bay Hill.
Chants of “Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!” could be heard erupting from various pockets of the golf course as Woods, wearing his Sunday red, sustained a thrilling challenge up until a wild drive on the 16th.
The galleries were also treated to another resurgent star: Rory McIlroy.
As Woods faded, they were entertained by McIlroy clinching his first tournament since September 2016 with a stunning final-round 64, his driver monstrous, his irons pinpoint, his putter accounting for every undulation. Afterwards McIlroy described it as the “perfect round”.
It all fed into a special atmosphere: McIlroy talked enthusiastically about “feeling the buzz” while the man who finished a couple of strokes back, Bryson DeChambeau, revelled in Tigermania.
This is an opportunity for golf, a moment outside the events to catch the eye of more than only the discerning club-going enthusiast, but the kind of casual observer who glances at the Masters leaderboard on moving day and vaguely remembers the miracle at Medinah.
Even now, Woods has an extraordinary way of enrapturing even the most impassive passer-by and, in his fist-pumping pomp, McIlroy can too.
With their resurgence, the duo have inadvertently emphasised what has been missing from the top of the game recently.
Meanwhile, McIlroy revealed the part that Wayne Rooney played in his brilliant victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a win which led to a surprisingly low-key celebration.
McIlroy carded a superb final round of 64 to triumph at Bay Hill, coincidentally his first title since the Tour Championship on September 25, 2016, the day seven-time major winner Palmer died.
Much was made of the influence of a putting lesson earlier in the week from former Ryder Cup player Brad Faxon, but Everton forward Rooney also inadvertently played a part in McIlroy’s best putting performance on the PGA Tour.
“We were talking about different sports and he (Faxon) was talking about a free-throw shooter in basketball,” McIlroy said. “We were talking about triggers, about how do you start your putting stroke.
“Everyone has different ways and I said Wayne Rooney before he takes a free-kick or a penalty he taps his toe on the ground before he actually starts his run-up. I noticed it when I shot a Nike commercial with him a few years ago.”
Whether it was Faxon or Rooney who had the biggest effect, the result was a bogey-free final round featuring eight birdies, five of which came in the last six holes. But asked how he celebrated his victory on Sunday evening, McIlroy added: “It was two glasses of wine and a big bowl of ice cream. I watched the highlights but I fell asleep before the fireworks started on the 15th.”
McIlroy might well appreciate the early night this week at Austin Country Club, where he will need to win seven matches over five days to claim the title for the second time in four years.
Also on the horizon is the Masters at Augusta National, which he needs to win to become only the sixth player to have won all four major titles.