Rory and Tiger box office gold, says Lawrie
PAUL Lawrie yesterday admitted how Tiger Woods’ renaissance and Rory McIlroy’s resurgence has led to him tuning back into golf on the television.
The global game is in the midst of a captivating spell in the lead up to one of the most eagerly anticipated Masters in years with Woods and McIlroy helping golf become a box office hit in recent weeks.
McIlroy surged to a thrilling victory in Sunday’s Arnold Palmer Invitational while Woods posted his second successive top-five finish on the PGA Tour as he continued his rousing recovery from rock bottom.
Former Open champ Lawrie, 49, said: “I thought for about an hour on Sunday there, that’s as good as it gets.
“Tiger was up there and Rory was up there. Next to Tiger, Rory is the person who moves the needle for me, there’s no question about that. When he’s playing like that and is in that mood, he takes some stopping.
“If Tiger stays healthy and Rory keeps playing the way he did at the weekend, I think it’s going to be phenomenal at the Masters. I can’t wait for it already. I honestly don’t sit and watch a lot of golf on the TV but I’ve watched the last two PGA Tour events because Tiger has been in contention in both. I think it is remarkable how quickly he’s got himself straight back into things. And it’s his swing speed and ball speed that is really amazing as it’s almost quicker than it was before. It’s great to have him back.”
Everybody loves a mesmerising sporting comeback. The remarkable Ben Hogan, who emerged from the mangled wreckage of a near-fatal crash in 1949 to win the US Open in 1950 and then go on to win the Masters, the US Open and the Open in 1953, stands as one of sport’s greatest tales.
Other absorbing chapters of odds-defying efforts, of course, include Tom Watson’s memorable assault on the Open title at Turnberry as he approached his 60th birthday. In the current hysteria whipped up by Woods, plenty are tipping him to conquer Augusta and win the Masters.
Lawrie was speaking at Gleneagles having been unveiled as an ambassador, along with Ladies European Tour winner Carly Booth, for this summer’s European Golf Team Championship, a mixed event which is part of the wider Glasgow 2018 European Championships. Four years on from the hugely successful Ryder Cup in Perthshire, Gleneagles will be back in the spotlight.
“Gleneagles is one of our iconic venues so the whole thing is geared up to be a pretty special week,” said Lawrie.