Rory ready to take on the world

Irish golfing sensation Rory McIlroy talks to JOE about his experience at the British Open, being inspired by Graeme McDowell and his hopes of landing a major championship.

By Conor Heneghan

Sometimes you have to stop and remind yourself that Rory McIlroy is still only 21 years of age. Even though the Holywood youngster turned professional less than three years ago, the constant scrutiny that has surrounded his every move since then makes him seem like a part of the furniture at this stage. But to McIlroy, all the hype and attention is like water off a duck’s back. For a man so young, he already displays a maturity that belies his tender years.

Ahead of the Irish Open in Killarney, McIlroy shoots the breeze with golf pundits as if he has known them for decades and speaks confidently, without a trace of arrogance, of wanting to become a dominant force in the game and of becoming a major winner in the near future.

It is refreshing to hear one of our own sportsmen speak with such honesty without fear of the begrudgery that so often accompanies statements of ambition in this country.

I would split the season into two halves. I’d give the first half three out of ten and I’d give the second half eight or nine out of ten.

The only hint McIlroy gives of his age is when he speaks giddily of his amazement at appearing on the cover of EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour ’11, or when he excitedly mentions the recent delivery of his new toy, an Audi R8 Spyder, which takes pride of place in the car park outside the clubhouse.

McIlroy goes into the tournament in excellent form, having finished in outright third at the British Open at St Andrews and fourth at the French Open earlier this month. This season has been somewhat of a mixed bag for McIlroy; he grabbed his second professional win and his first on American soil at Quail Hollow in May, but missed the cut at both the US Masters and the US Open as well as at the Players’ Championship, a tournament referred to by many as the fifth major.

Typical of the man, Rory pulls no punches when asked to review his season so far.

“I would split the season into two halves. I’d give the first half three out of ten and I’d give the second half eight or nine out of ten. The first half of the season, I struggled. I had a sore back and I wasn’t getting into any sort of momentum and Quail Hollow came out of the blue a little bit.

“I missed the cut at the Players the week after but since then, it’s been good. The US Open was a bit of a setback as well, but I feel as if my game has really come around since. I felt that in the French Open, if I had holed any putts at all I could have won that and in the end I finished just one shot off the play-off.

“I played really well at the British Open, but the Friday kind of killed me a little bit. If that had been different, it could have been a different story.”

The Friday McIlroy is referring to of course, is the second day of the Open championship at St Andrews, when he followed up his blistering opening round of 63 with a disappointing 80, which all but ruined his chances of winning his maiden major at a course he regards as one of his favourites.

I’ve played a lot of golf with Graeme (McDowell) and I know that on any given day that if he plays his best and I play my best, there’s definitely not much between us.

For many in McIlroy’s situation, an 80 would have represented the end of the tournament, but to his credit, he recovered sufficiently to shoot seven under through Saturday and Sunday and finish in third place, equalling his best ever finish in a major championship. His response to the disappointment of that day has provided McIlroy with plenty of positives going forward.

“The 63 was great on Thursday, but the way I played at the weekend was the most pleasing thing of all. I don’t know if anyone shot better than -7 at the weekend (only Robert Rock at -8) so I was very happy with the way I responded to Friday’s round.

“I learned from the Masters last year (McIlroy hit a treble-bogey seven at the 18^th on Day 2) when I didn’t stop and talk to the media and I let it brew up inside me a little bit. But on the Friday at the Open, I went and talked to you guys and I got it out of my system and that was a very important thing for me to do because it let me start fresh on Saturday morning.”

McIlroy may have failed to land his first major at St Andrews, but given his stratospheric rise to prominence in the game; one can’t help but feel that he’s not far away. He will have another chance to make the step up at the US PGA at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in a fortnight’s time.

European winners of the US PGA are a rare breed – indeed, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington is the only golfer from the continent to have won the tournament – but McIlroy has taken heart from close friend Graeme McDowell’s recent victory in the US Open at Pebble Beach, the first time a European has won that tournament for 40 years.

I’m really excited (about the US PGA) and I know if I play my best or near my best golf I’ve got a very good chance of winning.

“It was a huge inspiration for me because it made me realise that winning a major wasn’t as far away as I thought it was. I thought that maybe in a couple of years time, I might have the game to win a major.

“But seeing a good friend like that winning a huge event, it gives you huge belief in yourself. I’ve played a lot of golf with him and I know that on any given day that if Graeme plays his best and I play my best, there’s definitely not much between us. It gave me a lot of confidence to know that if he can do it, I can do it as well.”

“I’m really excited (about the US PGA) and I know if I play my best or near my best golf I’ve got a very good chance of winning. I showed that at St Andrews and I just have to keep my work ethic up and practise hard and hopefully I can show the same form at Whistling Straits as I did at the British Open.”

The US PGA and of course, the Ryder Cup, are tournaments that McIlroy is eagerly looking forward to but are just part of a quite hectic rest of 2010 for the affable youngster. Almost without blinking, McIlroy lists out easily ten or more tournaments he has yet to play in this year, such as the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, the Tour Championship and the numerous events that make up the Fed-Ex Cup, and you wonder how he fits it all in.

To win in front of your home crowd would be very special and with Padraig winning in Adare and Shane winning last year, it would be nice to keep that trend going of home winners.

The Irish Open at the Killeen Course in Killarney Golf and Fishing Club at least affords McIlroy the opportunity to spend some time in Ireland, and playing on his own turf is something he deems particularly important.

“To win in front of your home crowd would be very special and with Padraig winning in Adare and Shane winning last year, it would be nice to keep that trend going of home winners. I wouldn’t put it (winning the Irish Open) ahead of a major but I’d definitely put it ahead of the two that I’ve already won, even though those wins were significant milestones.”

The bookies think Rory will do it and have installed him as 6/1 favourite to win the tournament. Such a tag might affect some, but pressure is something McIlroy relishes; it sits easily on his young shoulders. McIlroy, at number eight in the world, is the highest ranked competitor in a field which includes the likes of Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari as well as fellow Irishmen Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and old buddy McDowell, who McIlroy is determined won’t have the major bragging rights for too long.

Asked whether he wants to set the record straight in Whistling Straits in two weeks time, a determined McIlroy didn’t bat an eyelid with his response. “Oh yeah, I’d definitely like to make it 1-1.”

The 3 Irish open takes place from 29 July – 1 August at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club.