Take the Tiger line, Rory

McGINLEY: WOODS’ ‘HEART ON FIRE’ WILL GET McILROY PUMPED

RORY McILROY needs to show the same “heart-on-fire” drive of Tiger Woods to rule golf again – and ripping his shirt in frustration is a good sign.

But Paul McGinley reckons American superstar Woods’ long-term domination of the game has become more remarkable in the modern era.

McIlroy is down to world No.9 after his run without a Major has been extended to more than seven years.

And the Northern Irishman’s frustration boiled over at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after a closing 74 allowed Collin Morikawa to claim the season-ending title of the European Tour.

But McGinley said: “It’s not a worrying sign. Having a bit of temper and a bit of gnarliness is not a bad thing in a golfer. You don’t want to encourage your kids to behave in that way, but all the greats have that little bit of nastiness.

“You need to have your heart on fire – it is just golden – and you need to sustain it.

“That’s what made Tiger great, his sustainability of heart-on-fire, mental engagement and pure ambition. His drive was raw, unadulterated and his attitude said, ‘Get out of my way, here I come, watch me amass these Majors.’ That’s so, so rare. “Can Rory come back again? Can he reignite again in terms of winning Majors?

“He’s not the ferocious competitor he was when he came with a flurry onto the tour. We know that. Collin Morikawa is in his mid20s. He will face the same challenges.

“When it comes to that elite level that we’re talking about, it’s not so much the golf they play – it’s the mental side. It’s the ability to compete.

“It’s the love of competition. It’s the love of practice.

It’s the lack of distraction in their life. It is all about what’s going on inside their head and inside their heart.”

Woods won seven out of 11 Majors at the start of the century and spent a staggering 683 weeks as world No.1.

Sky Sports analyst McGinley (above) added: “This new era of players has showed us how good they are. But what we’re seeing in the game at the moment is just making Tiger look better and better and realising how great he was.

“John Rahm is the one to watch next year. He hasn’t lost focus and still has a burning ambition.”

But the recent reappearance of Woods, who will be 46 on Thursday, with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship in Florida showed he is still the biggest draw in golf.

“It is great to see Tiger swinging a club again and it will be fantastic to have him back for The

Open next year at St Andrews,” said McGinley.

CHIPPER McIlroy gets out of trouble PAUL McGINLEY is a pundit and commentator for Sky Sports Golf – the home of golf in the UK and Ireland

TIGER’S BACK Woods, with son, Charlie, in his first golf event last week since his car crash in February