(Photo: Reuters / Jonathan Ernst)
Golf.com – BETHESDA, Md. — Rory McIlroy went into the final round of the 111th U.S. Open with an eight-stroke lead over Y.E. Yang, turning Sunday’s final round into less of a competition than a victory parade. But even his fellow competitors knew it would be more than that, a string of tiny numbers in tiny boxes that in a way would make up the coordinates of golf’s future. Showing that he had indeed learned from his mishaps in the majors, including a final-round 80 at the Masters in April, McIlroy birdied the first hole and cruised from there, carding a 69 for a 16-under total and an eight-shot victory over Jason Day. “I felt like I got over the Masters pretty quickly, and I kept telling you guys that,” McIlroy said at his press conference Sunday evening. “I don’t know if you believed me or not.”
There’s no doubting him now. At 22, McIlroy became the youngest U.S. Open winner since Bobby Jones in 1923. McIlroy is also the fifth straight non-American major-championship winner, and he will move to fourth in the World Ranking. He set a U.S. Open record for most strokes under par — Tiger Woods had the old record at 12 under, set in 2000 at Pebble Beach — and like Woods before him may now head into every future major as the favorite in every sense of the word. “I think he has probably the most talent I’ve ever seen from a golfer,” said world No. 1 Luke Donald…
Hey Rory, the number 1 golfer in the world just said you had most talent he’s seen from a golfer. Daaaaaamn, son. Impressive. What a great weekend of watching some golf. Here’s what I love about Rory. He is Tiger-cocky right now. Took a page right outta the book of the Tiger of old. Just smashed the field. Even though Tiger Woods has obviously not been his dominant self since he got caught cheating with a small army of women, he is still the name that everybody compares other golfers to when measuring greatness. After Rory’s epic collapse at the Masters a couple months ago, he knew he had to prove himself here at the U.S. Open. Kinda tough to prove yourself when Tiger isn’t even there to beat, right? Wrong, bitches. Rory went and smashed the U.S. Open record set by none other than Tiger back when he was on his A-game. Freakin’ love it. Love Rory. Get cockier and awesomer, if that’s possible. I hope you’re the new face of golf for many years to come… well, you and these guys.
Curious to how Rory celebrated? No big whoop, just crushing beers out of cup he just won.
Gotta assume that’s Guinness, right? Good for Ireland. Good for Rory. Good for you.
-bp