A moment of youth
Spieth, McIlroy go head to head
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — They both knew it was coming, and at 2:20 p.m. Eastern time today it officially begins: “Jordan vs. Rory: The New Generation.”
The PGA’s serendipitous grouping of defending PGA champion Rory McIlroy with reigning Masters and U.S. Open winner Jordan Spieth alongside British Open champion (and B side in this grouping) Zach Johnson only serves to highlight the growing notion that the future of golf is in the hands of a poised Texan and an affable Ulsterman.
It is potentially Jack and Arnie all over again, a rivalry that sustained golf for two decades. The only difference is that the debate has gone international, as has the game itself.
McIlroy seemed to welcome the discussion yesterday upon his return to competitive golf after a five-week hiatus to rehabilitate a ruptured ligament in his left ankle. Spieth, on the other hand, has given the whole idea the Heisman. Publicly, at least, he says it’s absurd because McIlroy has accomplished much more than he has, but such “Oh, shucks, ma’am” Texas charm is negated by a glance at the world rankings. No. 1 Rory McIlroy No. 2 Jordan Spieth No. 3 Nobody cares Yet when asked about the pairing, Spieth made light of it with the charming manner that, combined with winning two majors and four tournaments this season, has made him the new face of American golf.
“I think that’s just what you guys want to see,” Spieth said yesterday. “I think he and I just want to go out there and try and win the tournament. If we have to — I mean we have to beat each other in order to do that, along with 100 and how many people are in the event?”
That would be 154 others, but none will have the spotlight the way Spieth and McIlroy will. Not even Tiger Woods commands the stage now like these two (at least until he wins again). This is their time now.
“We’re all very happy to see him back,” Spieth said of his non-rival rival. “What an incredible rehab that was to get back so soon and to get to 100 percent, because I know he wouldn’t play unless he was, especially on this golf course. It’s a tough course to walk.
“I’m excited to just share a couple days with Rory and Zach as well. We’re going to have a good time, us three, and hopefully we can all feed off each other these two days. Hopefully we can all get into contention and it will certainly be exciting.”
That is CBS’ dream and golf’s as well. A weekend of Rory vs. Jordan battling tooth and nail for the Wanamaker Trophy. McIlroy understands this and, although he already may be weary of the comparisons, he embraced the idea of the two of them taking the measure of each other as rife with possibilities.
“I’m not surprised at all that the narrative has went from me to Jordan and to both of us being here,” McIlroy said. “Jordan has played phenomenal golf for the last 12 months. To win the first two majors of the year, have a great chance at St. Andrews, he’s taking up a lot of the limelight this year, which is deservedly so. I mean it’s one of the best years of golf that we have seen in a long, long time.
“I guess, as well, we live in such a world that everything’s so reactionary and everything happens so quickly that a year ago, after I won this tournament, it was the Rory era and then Jordan wins the Masters and it’s the Jordan era. Eras last about six months these days, instead of 20 years. With social media and everything having to be instant, it’s the world that we live in.
“I knew I wasn’t going to have a low-key return to the game and this definitely isn’t it.”
One can only imagine the hype that would be surrounding this pairing if Spieth was in position to win the Grand Slam, golf’s rarest feat, with McIlroy standing in his way. Had Spieth won at St. Andrews, instead of missing a playoff by a stroke, they would have enough media here to fill Lake Michigan.
It’s that kind of play — championship play — that has lifted this into more than speculation about what might be. These are the two best players in the world, young guys with only four years and an ocean separating them. They are the future . . . and the present . . . of the game.
“Whenever you see someone put together a season like this of course you become motivated,” McIlroy admitted. “But as well you’re inspired. I think the performances that he put in at the Masters and the U.S. Open and even at St. Andrews when he was so close, you know, they were inspirational performances. Yeah, it’s motivation.”
So, too, is the fact they’ve played eight rounds together in their careers and McIlroy has dominated. He is 22 shots better than Spieth head-to-head, reminding some of the way Woods used to make Phil Mickelson melt when they played together until Mickelson finally beat him.
McIlroy poo-pooed the suggestion there was something going on their mentally, however. He pointed out some of those rounds were before Spieth’s breakthrough season and likely meant far less than will be suggested.
“I really don’t think you can look too much into the head-to-head when guys are playing together, especially in the first two rounds,” McIlroy said. “Maybe if it was a final round and we were in contention to win you can maybe look into it a bit more, but first two rounds . . . I wouldn’t put too much importance on that.”
Certainly not, but much importance will be put on the next two days and how this tournament goes. If one of them wins it will be on. If the two battle down to the wire, it will be over the top.
Welcome to golf’s new rivalry. It’s going to last a lot more than six months.