McIlroy must not flinch in his major duel with Spieth
There is often a feeling the US PGA Championship is staged too close to The Open but not this year. After the epic events at royal Birkdale on Sunday, the US PGA in just over a fortnight’s time can’t come soon enough.
Could it be set up any more perfectly? After winning his last two events with a holed bunker shot at the Travelers Championship, followed by a four-hole scoring spree in Southport that left everyone’s bottom jaw slack, who wouldn’t want to see what master escapologist Jordan Spieth comes up with next, as he seeks to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam?
Then there’s rory McIlroy, who started out at Birkdale with his e game, moved it up as far as B and has now clearly rediscovered his mojo after ending up tied for fourth place.
Spieth’s Open victory and the wondrous manner of it merely confirmed to McIlroy that for all the plethora of good young players around and the formidable presence of world No 1 Dustin Johnson, it is the Texan who is his rival when it comes to who will win the most majors from this generation over the next decade.
They are the men who have both won three of the four legs already and now McIlroy has laid it on the line that they are embroiled in a desperate race to see who can be first to complete the career Grand Slam (McIlroy is missing the Masters).
Make no mistake, they will be eyeing each other’s achievements every step of the way and you can be sure neither man will want to finish second.
McIlroy might still hold the edge at four majors to three but Spieth is four years younger and the man with all the momentum.
While McIlroy has now gone 10 majors without a win for the first time in his career, the Texan has claimed a trio of titles to underline his impressive credentials.
Spieth was understandably drawing comparison with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods after claiming his third major before he turns 24 on Thursday, and he would steal McIlroy’s thunder if he were to complete the Slam at the PGA. No wonder McIlroy says he is desperate to prevent that.
Is the Northern Irishman about to suffer the fate of Arnold Palmer, when Nicklaus came along and bashed him all around the golf course, or ernie els when Woods got into his head?
Certainly, Spieth wins tournaments like Woods used to win some, pulling off miraculous shots seemingly to order that would be career- defining for anyone else. But is he really the next Tiger?
Woods won his first major by 12 shots and his third by 15. Spieth won his third on Sunday looking more like a 15 handicapper for the first 12 holes than the next great one.
‘I still think rory is the best player out there, and I don’t make that comment lightly given what Jordan and Dustin are capable of,’ said els.
‘What rory must not do is fall into the same trap as I did with Tiger, and press too hard or change what he’s doing and lose control. But I don’t think he will.
‘he has far more game than I had. he’s got it all.
‘As for Jordan, it’s amazing what happens when you get momentum. You feel like you can win majors by the boatload, and who knows where he is going to end up?
‘The exciting thought is that here we have two players capable of winning 10 majors.’ Spieth certainly underlined his credentials following the indefatigable manner in which he banished the nerves that were consuming him on Sunday and the dreaded demons circling from the Masters last year.
‘he’s an absolute stud, isn’t he?’ said McIlroy. ‘That’s what he’s been like his whole career. he never gives up. I’m pleased for him and I’m pleased for our sport. It’s great for the game.’
WHAT would also be great is an emphatic McIlroy response, and the US PGA just happens to be taking place at a Quail hollow venue in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has won twice on the PGA Tour.
Furthermore, he has the perfect warm- up event next week in the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, another of his favourite courses in America where he has also won.
‘I left Birkdale with my game in much better shape than when I arrived and I feel like I will have a great chance at the next two events,’ said McIlroy, before echoing els’s wise words about not pressing too hard.
‘Three years is too long to go without winning a major. One year feels too long. But I’m not going to rush it or get impatient. even Jack went three years without winning.’
Ask 100 people in golf who will win the most majors between the two, and Spieth would probably come out on top just now, following the gutsy route he took to claim the Claret Jug. But don’t be surprised if we see a rory reaction at Quail hollow that changes the dynamic once more.
This is a contest that will not only keep us enthralled for a decade or so, but clearly, following McIlroy’s comments yesterday, the two participants as well.