What the heck is wrong with McIlroy's game?

[Terry Lavin]

With all of the attention paid to other pre-tournament favorites, I haven't seen much discussion of McIlroy's performance. He looked alternately shaky, tentative and disengaged. Why shouldn't we start thinking that he'll never live up to the post-Congressional expectations?  Maybe that was his one major, won on a poorly presented non-Open worthy course.

Is he a legitimate threat at the Players or the three remaining majors, especially the Open Championship?  I'm beginning to have doubts.

Not trying to condemn the kid; just trying to generate some discussion.

[Jud_T]

Maybe the blowup from last year was too much pressure for the kid to overcome at Augusta.  Hey, it's golf.  Even the best players have it some days more than others just like us hackers...

[Sean_A]

I think the kid has some growing up to do yet.  I got the strong impression that once he was out it, that the remaining holes didn't matter.  Thats not a professional attitude and he needs to adjust it pronto.

Ciao 

[Ivan Lipko]

What Sean said. Also, his swing is actually very dependent on proper timing and sequencing. So it all takes time. After all he's recently won a tournament on the PGA Tour and is one of the money leaders. What is wrong?

[George_Bahto]

sean, i think you nailed it - itz "win" or, "who cares"

he'll get over it - very young guy with so much talent!!!!

[Garland Bayley]

He made #1, now he has nothing more to prove to his girl friend.

[Kalen Braley]

Absolutely nothing.

Huge difference between being critical of a guy and his swing with 14 Majors and 70+ PGA Tour wins, vs a  22  year old with 1 Major and 3 tour wins and his entire career in front of him.  He's still learning the game.....

[Sean Leary]

Or he had a bad week, like all professional golfers do.

[Tim Pitner]

Also, he's a streaky putter.  Sometimes he looks very solid, other times, he's not very good at all, particularly with the shorter ones. 

[RJ_Daley]

I wonder if it is the comparison of how Rory's motor runs as contrasted to how Tiger's motor revved up when he was Rory's age.  I mean to say that Tiger was hard wired and molded by his Dad to be a fierce and relentless competitor, even as a late teen going into his early pro career.  While Tiger got the big cash dump right at the onset, I think the competitive fire burned hotter than the new affluence cult of celebrity, and translated to a more focused desire to win, win, win.  Rory on the otherhand 'may' not be discarding the new mantle of celebrity and wealth, and it may dampen the competitive fires from burning as hot as Tiger's at this age.  I saw this in Rory and Sergio's palsy walsy walk-off embrace of defeat when they both didn't perform up to champion standards last week in the final round.  Tiger would have no friends and would have barely acknowledged his playing competitor friend under such major championship final round conditions.  Tiger at that age would not do a palsy walsy walkoff, no matter if he didn't post the needed score to get into contention, like Serg and Rory displayed.  Tiger would have sulked, kicked things, and beat up on himself and anyone in the way.  So, maybe Rory is a nicer guy, likes the trappings of his few but impressive early triumphs, and just won't burn as hot.

[Dan Kelly]

So, maybe Rory is a nicer guy, likes the trappings of his few but impressive early triumphs, and just won't burn as hot.

I'm with Dick.

And I think we've seen just the beginnings of Rory's ascent.

You don't need to burn so hot as Tiger always has, to be a great champion.

[George Pazin]

I wonder if it is the comparison of how Rory's motor runs as contrasted to how Tiger's motor revved up when he was Rory's age.

I'd agree with this.

One telling thing to me was after he ascended to #1 and won the Honda, he seemed to relax a little, almost surprised it had come so quickly. Tiger - at that age and still now - would be jumping on the necks of his competitors, trying to make sure they don't get up anytime soon. I don't know if it's true or not, but some sportswriter once related a story about Tiger and Ernie, circa 2000, saying that Tiger said to Steve, if I rip this guy's heart out one more time, he may just go away and never come back (paraphrasing).

I don't know if that will change as Rory matures. I suspect not, and in fact, I hope not. The thing that drives the absolute best doesn't usually seem healthy for the soul to me.

[RJ_Daley]

Actually Dan, I'm not exactly saying that:  "You don't need to burn so hot as Tiger always has, to be a great champion."

I dont think Hogan had any palsy walsy embraces in defeat or falling short in a championship round either.  "Great champion" may connote a magnanimous and affable sort of sportsman to some fans.  But, many great champion competitors in many sports were not the 'nicest' of guys and their fires did burn too hot for polite company, so to speak.  I guess it is up to the fan to discern for what sort of champion personality one develops an affinity.  I like the nice guys that know how and when to burn white hot, yet have the maturity to reign it in at the appropriate time to still display class and sportsmanship.  I think that is a tough ask, particularly for a youthful carefree kid like Rory now, and who and what 'El Nino' used to be, and never quite put in the rear view mirror.  

[George Pazin]

I suspect Dan is using the term "great champion" in a different respect.

[JC Jones]

You do all realize that this was meant to be a parody of Shivas's threads, don't you?

[Jim Nugent]

After Tiger blew away the field in the 1997 Masters, it took him 2 1/2 years to win another major.  I have no idea how Rory's game will develop, but seems a bit hasty to count him out at this point. 

[Dan Kelly]

You do all realize that this was meant to be a parody of Shivas's threads, don't you?

I didn't. I'm really rather pleased with myself that I have no idea what you're talking about!

[Terry Lavin]

You do all realize that this was meant to be a parody of Shivas's threads, don't you?

Not true. I just started this to chat about the perils of premature anointing. One can't help but notice, however, that people ARE capable of having a civil discussion as long as it isn't started by throwing a bomb or hijacking a thread.

[Phil McDade]

I think it can take a while to figure out Augusta National. It's Rory's 4th Masters -- with few exceptions (Tiger, of course), not that many players do well there within their first few tournaments. Jack only won it on his 5th try. I still think he has more game than anyone under 30 in the game today. But the really great ones figure out a way to contend and win in majors without their absolute top-flight games, like Rory had last year at the imitation US Open course.

[Philippe Binette]

nothing is wrong with his game...

was probably a little bit off with his swing or putting and tried to force the issue to get back in the championship and the combinaison of those two elements is fatal on a course like Augusta National.

He has won big tournament all over the world and he is going to keep winning. ¸

A major this year, maybe not:

the three remaining courses:
Accuracy at Olympic Club
Patience at Lytham
Courage at The Ocean Course...

tough call to name the favorites on each courses

[Howard Riefs]

Nothing is wrong with Rory’s game.  His finish at the Masters is not indicative of his play in 2012:

By the numbers…

6    tournaments
5    top 5 finishes
2    finished second
1    win
13   rounds in 60s (out of 20 stroke-play rounds)


Tournaments played

40th    The Masters -- 71-69-77-76 -- 293 (+5)

3rd     WGC: Cadillac Championship at Doral  -- 73-69-65-67 -- 274 (-14)

1st     The Honda Classic -- 66-67-66-69 -- 268 (-12)  

2nd    WGC: Accenture Match Play -- MP

5th    Omega Dubai Desert Classic -- 66-65-72-71 -- 274 (-14)  

2nd    Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship -- 67-72-68-69 -- 276 (-12)


http://espn.go.com/golf/player/_/id/3470/rory-mcilroy

[Matthew Petersen]

I think Rory will be fine.

It's very easy to forget that Augusta is a course that can absolutely devour you if you are not locked in to every shot. That happened to him early on Saturday with some putting adventures and after that, yes, it looked like he checked out a little bit. So be it. He's young and he'll learn to grind more. He certainly has that in him, as he showed by his toughness down the stretch at the Honda, so I don't worry that it's not in him. It will develop more.

It's easy to forget how young he is.

[Jim Franklin]

It was very disappointing to follow his progress over the weekend. I picked him in my pool and was looking for a good finish to catch up a little. It stinks he mailed it in once he couldn't win. I guess with all the money they make, if they don't win, it doesn't matter where they finish. If this was 30 years ago, he may have fought the entire way for a decent check. I do not see anything wrong with his game.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I think it was an error in scheduling..just a young mistake..one that he probably wont make again.
Three weeks off laeding into a major is probably not tghe best way to stay sharp..we will see if he ever does that again...all part of the learning curve for this young man.

[JESII]

I would think the front nine 42 on Saturday would be a major concern for his camp. One back and a couple groups from the last is a great position for someone that should be extremely hungry. All the talent in the world but his hunger is a question mark to me.