The Guard has Changed!

[David_Tepper]

We now have 4 first-time major winners and the oldest is 27!

And, the last 10-11 majors have all been won by different guys from 7-8 different countries. Great for the game as far as I am concerned.

[Terry Lavin]

Remarkable, indeed, but is there any doubt that Rory is at the top of the class?

[Tim Martin]

Rory seems to have it all. The buttery swing, likeability, humility and a great support system. Although at the close of the third round I thought the lack of drama would take a lot of luster off of today it wasn`t the case. Just a fantastic day for golf.

[Ronald Montesano]

I think we should all jump the gun on this one and say that the guard has changed. Everyone wants to be the first one to say "I said it first." I'll wait and see, thank you very much.

[Craig Van Egmond]

Congrats to Rory, what a rebound!!

Its now been 3 years since Tiger won a major. I don't think he will win any this year. Its been since 2006 since he won multiple majors in a year. These young guys will make it even harder.

[Jim Tang]

I think the guard is certainly changing.  Remember the "Big 5" as they were called some years back? (Tiger, Phil, Ernie, Goosen & Singh)  All 5 of them are currently irrelevant in the world of golf.  I still think Tiger has one more 2 or 3 year stretch of dominant golf and Phil might get one more major, but the sun is setting on these guys.

It is a new era in golf.  It will be interesting to see if anyone in the 20 something set can step forward and win multiple majors, or, if we get a revolving door of winners.  

I'm not sure which way I like best.

[David Harshbarger]

Is Rory officially "the man to beat?"

[JR Potts]

Is Rory officially "the man to beat?"

For the next year and a half of majors for sure.

Who here doesn't think he'll win the Open Championship?  He has to be the odds on favorite.

[David_Tepper]

Terry L., David H. & Potts -

Personally I would be reluctant to anoint McElroy the crown prince just yet. It will be interesting to see who among Oosthuizen, Kaymer, Schwartzel and McElroy is the first to win their 2nd major.

With regard to the upcoming British Open, it will be interesting to see how McElroy handles his new found fame and how he plays given that he has stated he is not especially fond of links golf.

DT
   

[Jamie Van Gisbergen]

Is Rory officially "the man to beat?"

For the next year and a half of majors for sure.

Who here doesn't think he'll win the Open Championship?  He has to be the odds on favorite.

Well, given, as far as I can tell, that winning the US Open and Open Championship in the same year has only been done 6 times, twice by Bob Jones, the odds are not in his favor. We'll see though, I'd like to see it.

[Kalen Braley]

David,

I think you make an excellent point.  It will be interesting to see if Rory takes on a route like Phil M who can play the hell out of the American majors and rarely be in contention for The Open...and perhaps end up with 4-6 majors?

Or if he will take the Tiger route and learn how to hit lower shots and deal with all the crazy bounces and be more of the complete player and get into double digits.

I don't think there is any doubt he will be right in the mix for the traditional high ball hitting courses for the US side 3 majors of the year though.

[Phil McDade]

In his absolute prime (a few weeks before turning 26) he won the major by seven strokes -- one of the largest margins of victory in the history of the championship. Remarkably, it was his second major in less than a year, coming off his win the previous year on home soil. Surely, said the golf cognescenti, he'd be the one who would take on the game's dominant player, and a host of others on the way.

He never won another major.

See -- Tony Jacklin, circa 1970.

[David_Elvins]

It will be interesting to see if Rory takes on a route like Phil M who can play the hell out of the American majors and rarely be in contention for The Open...and perhaps end up with 4-6 majors?

Rory did manage to finish 3rd at last years Open Championship.  

He also finished 3rd at The PGA last year, making the Masters, where he led for 60 something holes, his worst major result of the last 12 months.  

The onyl question is whether he can beat Nicklaus's 18 majors or not.  I think he will.  

[Kevin Pallier]

The onyl question is whether he can beat Nicklaus's 18 majors or not.  I think he will.  

David

I love your sarcasm 

Plenty of people win one Professional Major - there's been 127 of them thus far.

Only 76 have gone on to win 2+....

[JR Potts]

I'll take Rory and the over with the Major point at 5 all day long.

[Greg Clark]

None of those listed players are in McIlroy's league.  It wouldn't surprise me that starting from now, that he wins more majors than those three combined.  He is a special player.

Terry L., David H. & Potts -

Personally I would be reluctant to anoint McElroy the crown prince just yet. It will be interesting to see who among Oosthuizen, Kaymer, Schwartzel and McElroy is the first to win their 2nd major.

With regard to the upcoming British Open, it will be interesting to see how McElroy handles his new found fame and how he plays given that he has stated he is not especially fond of links golf.

DT
   

[Kalen Braley]

I'd take the over in a second if the line on Rory is 4.5 Majors for his career....that puts him in elite company!!!

[Garland Bayley]

Terry L., David H. & Potts -

Personally I would be reluctant to anoint McElroy the crown prince just yet. It will be interesting to see who among Oosthuizen, Kaymer, Schwartzel and McElroy is the first to win their 2nd major.

With regard to the upcoming British Open, it will be interesting to see how McElroy handles his new found fame and how he plays given that he has stated he is not especially fond of links golf.

DT
   

Oosthuizen, Kaymer, and Schwartzel? Really? Yang and McDowell are more likely to get to #2 than those guys. McIlroy will have no trouble getting to #2, #3 etc.

Rory took 3rd at The Open last year with an 80 in his scores after being hit by the severe weather squall.

[Will MacEwen]

Would anyone have predicted that Norman would end his career with two majors, no green jacket and only 1/4 of the career slam?

[Dan_Callahan]

I love Rory and hope he dominates the game for the next two decades.

However, I think only time will tell if his putting stroke will hold up. He was saved by the greens at Congressional, in my opinion. Hard to imagine him doing what Goosen did at Shinnecock.

The comparisons with Tiger at this point are asinine. Tiger beat the field at Pebble by 15, almost twice what Rory was able to do. And he did it on a monster of a course where the 2nd place finisher came in at +3.

In Tiger's game, his putting could save a bad ball-striking day on a tough course. I just don't see Rory in the same light, but maybe that will come.

[Brent Hutto]

Rory will putt well enough, given his ballstriking, until someone tempts him away from Dave Stockton and convinces him to agonize over every putt like it's a prostate exam. That'll turn him into the next Sergio...by age 30 he'll be striking the ball like Johnny Miller c. 1974 and putting like Tom Watson c. 2003.

[Sean Leary]

Was ANYBODY talking about McIlroy as the next coming before Thursday last week? He has now won 3 tournaments as a pro. 3. He may win many but it is way too early to tell. Anyone remember Sergio Garcia in "99??

[Kalen Braley]

Was ANYBODY talking about McIlroy as the next coming before Thursday last week? He has now won 3 tournaments as a pro. 3. He may win many but it is way too early to tell. Anyone remember Sergio Garcia in "99??

I'm looking at his stats now.

2 Euro tour wins in 99', which at the time meant far little than they would now...

1 second place finish in a major, a far cry from Rory who has been in contention over the last 4 now.



"Nothing to see, move right along"   

[Sean Leary]

Was ANYBODY talking about McIlroy as the next coming before Thursday last week? He has now won 3 tournaments as a pro. 3. He may win many but it is way too early to tell. Anyone remember Sergio Garcia in "99??

I'm looking at his stats now.

2 Euro tour wins in 99', which at the time meant far little than they would now...

1 second place finish in a major, a far cry from Rory who has been in contention over the last 4 now.



"Nothing to see, move right along"   

He also was 19 and turned pro that fall before....my point is that in 1999 who would have thought that Sergio wouldn't have won at least one major by now, if not more. Golf is a funny game.

[Bob_Huntley]

Terry L., David H. & Potts -

Personally I would be reluctant to anoint McElroy the crown prince just yet. It will be interesting to see who among Oosthuizen, Kaymer, Schwartzel and McElroy is the first to win their 2nd major.

With regard to the upcoming British Open, it will be interesting to see how McElroy handles his new found fame and how he plays given that he has stated he is not especially fond of links golf.

DT