Can Tiger put brakes on Rory the runaway?
WHAT a good idea for Rory McIlroy to spend some time with the New York Knicks basketball team this week. He could do with someone to look up to, couldn’t he?
Right now, from the dizzy heights of the summit of the world rankings, he has to look down quite a way before he comes to the No 2, Tiger Woods.
From No 1 to fifth-placed Adam Scott might not sound much but the reality is that McIlroy has amassed more than twice the points average managed by the Australian.
The really frightening thing for everyone else, of course, is McIlroy’s age. You have to go all the way down to 55th place in the world rankings and 22- year- old American Bud Cauley before you come to someone younger than McIlroy.
It is mind-boggling to think that at 23 he now has the same number of wins in America as someone as good as Sir Nick Faldo mustered in his entire career. Indeed, with four US Tour wins and two majors, McIlroy has already enjoyed a stellar career and yet he has still got virtually all his prime time in front of him.
As for Tiger, this is the first time he and Rory have occupied the top two positions at the same time.
The worry is that their rivalry is in danger of becoming the sort Tiger used to enjoy with Phil Mickelson — in other words, not much of a rivalry at all given that one man is clearly better than the other.
However, it will be interesting to see what happens at the Tour Championship in Atlanta next week on a course more suited to Woods than McIlroy.
‘Rory’s putting on quite a show, isn’t he?’ said Tiger graciously on Sunday and he is right. The past month has been like watching Woods at his best.
On three courses tailor-made to his gifts, Rory has taken full advantage, as Woods used to on courses that favoured him like Bay Hill, Firestone and Torrey Pines. At the BMW Championship on Sunday, McIlroy won by two from Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson, with Tiger tied fourth. As quality opposition goes, it really doesn’t get any better than that.
So to the next test in Rory’s education. East Lake next week is one of those courses where he will have to rein in his naturally aggressive instincts. It is a place where Tiger has enjoyed plenty of success.
No handing out the $10million FedEx play-off bonus just yet, then. We will savour the brilliance of McIlroy’s three wins in 30 days but temper it with a note of caution. Let’s see what Tiger has to say next week.