McIlroy shows he is ready to be a true legend like Palmer
® from JEREMY CROSS at Hazeltine brain cells. But all it has done is driven him to scale new heights and enhance his reputation as one of the biggest draws in world sport, let alone golf. All those moronic home supporters did was turn McIlroy into a combination of ‘Superman’ and the ‘Incredible Hulk’, a force of nature taking on the best the United States had to offer. With a little help from his European friends, McIlroy has dispatched Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar, taking three points from a possible four in the process. Without him, Europe would have been dead and buried within 48 hours and just making up the numbers in yesterday’s 12 singles matches. He’s taken them down with a barrage of gunslinging shots, beating his chest, putting a finger to his lips and taunting the galleries along the way. We’ve seen a different side to McIlroy and those who love sport should treasure ever moment, as personalities like this are rare indeed. Champions produce their genius when it matters most. That’s what makes them stand out from the mere mortals. McIlroy has been in a class of his own and at Hazeltine he was having the time of his life in his rivals’ own backyard. His magical peak arrived at the par three eighth hole as he traded scintillating blows with United States pit-bull Patrick Reed.
It will go down as one of the greatest holes ever played.
It will dominate the highlight reel like the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, Geoff Hurst’s hattrick goal in the 1966 World Cup final and Tiger Woods’ hole out at the Masters in 2005 – which most people think is the shot of a lifetime.
Woods stood under the bleacher, injuries and loss of form reducing him to nothing more than a vice-captain, cheerleader and spectator.
Hecklers
But what he saw was someone who has replaced him as top dog.
McIlroy drained a remarkable 50ft putt for birdie before almost bursting a blood vessel as he turned to the thousands of hecklers to have his say.
There was a finger to his lips, then a furious outburst of, “I can’t hear you.” He screamed out loud like someone who had lost his mind. The veins on his neck stuck out.
Woods stood motionless at the side of the green, before relaying the message back to home captain Davis Love on his earpiece that the enemy had “just dropped a bomb”. It was quite an explosion.
Reed responded, sinking a long putt of his own to somehow halve the hole. He wagged his finger in the face of McIlroy, who smiled before the two rivals bumped fists and back-slapped each other. It was the ultimate show of mutual respect.
McIlroy’s friend, the billionaire racing tycoon JP McManus, almost got crushed in the stampede to get to the next tee.
Michael Jordan hung from the railings attempting to soak it in, pop stars did the same as the bedlam threatened to reduce Minneapolis to rubble.
This was sporting theatre from the heavens, with McIlroy playing the lead role as he battled to save a continent’s dream.
At the same time, it was a street fight. McIlroy was loving it.
Back in 2010, a naive McIlroy described the Ryder Cup as nothing more than an exhibition match.
How things have changed. He is now the leader and talisman of Europe.
The game owes so much to Palmer, but it is now in the debt of McIlroy.
While the Northern Irishman’s efforts came up just short against Reed, the American legend can rest in peace knowing he’s left golf in the safest and greatest of hands.