The Beginning of the Rory McIlroy Era?

Written By: Tony Covey

Shortly after Rory McIlroy rolled in his winning putt to secure his second Major in the narrow span of 3 weeks; without any additional context we posted that RIP Tiger Era banner (see above) on Facebook.

Gratuitous? That wasn’t the intent.

As is usually the case when you don’t give the Internet sufficient guidance, the results were predictably snippy. Those condemning us as idiots commingled with those supporting our apparent contention that Tiger is toast, with some suggesting that his era actually ended in 2009.

Toss in a few complaints about Nike’s unwillingness (I’m being kind, some called it stupidity) to release the 006 Method Prototype to the masses, and well, the Internet was what the Internet usually is.

For better or worse, the interwebs never fail to deliver.

So in the interest of clarity, please allow me to expand on what that apparently controversial image means.

Very simply, it’s none of the above (although maybe Nike should release the putter). Seriously…to both.

Tiger Isn’t Done Yet, But. . .

As a general FYI, I’m not one who happens to believe that Tiger is finished. Even through an apparently never-ending series of injuries, his competitive drive remains immense. While I would argue that he would have been better-served sitting out 2014 (what do I know? I’m not a doctor), his unwillingness to do so also suggests a golfer not yet ready to call it a career. He’s going to put in the work. I believe he’ll be better than competitive again. I’m talking Top 5…and not in the Patrick Reed sense either.

I’m also not delusional. Tiger will be 39 years old when he tees it up at Augusta next year. Grind as he might, the calendar math alone says his skills are in decline. The greatest golfer on the planet for nearly two decades isn’t going to get any better.

With every elite athlete (and Tiger certainly qualifies), age brings a point of diminishing returns. Tiger has reached that point.

Jeter, Jordan, Montana, none was better at 40 than he was at 35. You can argue that golf is easier on the body, but looking at a clearly hobbled Tiger Woods, I’m forced to ask; are you sure?

Even the most-ardent believer in Tiger Woods ability as a golfer must realize that Tiger Woods simply cannot play this game forever at an elite level. He is superhuman, but not immortal.

The clock is ticking and I think we all understand that.

Don’t misunderstand me. I believe Tiger will win again. I believe Tiger will win another Major…maybe even Majors, but Rory McIlroy’s win yesterday makes his the new face of golf.

We should all be good with that.

Plan B isn’t So Scary

What’s different today is that a professional game without Tiger Woods isn’t nearly as scary of a proposition as it was yesterday. We have a reason to watch a Sunday without Tiger. We finally have a viable alternative, and not simply because the media said so. Rory is no longer the next big thing. He is the big thing. His accomplishments say so.

Let’s celebrate that.

If Tiger manages to come back healthy, focused, and driven, all the better still. Rory is the legitimate rival that Sergio, Phil, and Ty Tryon were never quite able to become.

It’s the best-possible scenario for the game of golf, and it’s almost certainly the scenario that Cindy Davis and her team at Nike Golf envisioned when they signed Rory McIlroy to a longterm deal in January 2013. Last night was unquestionably a milestone moment.

The Beginning of the Rory Era?

Let’s not go crazy just yet.

There’s plenty to like about young Mr. McIlroy. Confidence, determination, and plenty of game; there’s some Tiger in the kid.

He’s generally affable. He’s thoughtful, analytical, but seldom overly calculated in his dealings with the media. Occasionally he’s perhaps a bit too quick to speak his mind, but he’s good with the fans, and so we let it slide. There’s some Phil Mickelson in the kid too.

It’s a bright future, but the start of an era?

Absolutely, hedged with It’s the start of something, anyway. Whether that’s the Rory McIlroy era, or simply the long-anticipated passing of the torch to the younger generation (McIlroy, Fowler, maybe even Spieth), remains to be seen.

Of this much I’m sure: something monumental happened in the game of golf last night. We witnessed metaphor intermingle with reality as an obviously reluctant Phil Mickelson watched Rory McIlroy almost literally play through on his way to the 4th Major Championship of his career.

Much like Nike’s RZN, Rory is.

4 at 25. It’s unquestionably impressive. Is that the start of an era or a run of damn good golf by a kid with apparently limitless potential? Time will tell.

For now, there’s no need to label it. If yesterday really was the dawn of the Rory McIlroy Era, the time will come when we’ll all realize how silly it is to even ask the question.