GULLANE, Scotland — What to make of Rory McIlroy? This might be the most compelling issue in golf as today’s opening round of the 142nd British Open begins at Muirfield.
McIlroy has backed up his rapid ascent to the No. 1 ranking in the world in 2012 with a stunning descent in 2013, which has raised many eyebrows regarding some significant decisions he has made along the way.
The burden of expectations for McIlroy once he got to the top has proven to be much more difficult to handle than the route to get there.
The free-wheeling youngster without a care in the world and more talent than almost anyone in the game has been replaced by a cautious over-thinker seemingly stuck in constant analytical mode.
McIlroy made a controversial change in equipment during the offseason, replacing Titleist clubs with Nike, which paid him a reported $15 million per year to make the switch.
He fired his manager who consummated the mega-deal with Nike. Then, (predictably when star athletes struggle), rumors have surfaced of friction in his personal life with tennis-star girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.
Criticism of McIlroy has mounted as rapidly as his disappointing results on the golf course — even suggestions success has changed the humble lad from tiny Holywood in Northern Ireland.
This is what we should make of McIlroy: He is more Phil Mickelson (flashes of brilliance mixed with disappearing acts) than Tiger Woods (driven to the point of obsession).
NBC commentator Johnny Miller, chiming in with his analysis about McIlroy’s struggles, told the San Francisco Chronicle: “I think he’s in love for the first time. It’s a wonderful feeling, and it’s distracting.”
The most recent criticism came from six-time major championship winner Nick Faldo, who questioned McIlroy’s commitment to the game.
“I actually think it’s a lot going on in his mind,” Faldo said. “You need 100 percent concentration, off the golf course [and] practicing as well. The most ideal preparation I can think is to go to the club at 9 in the morning, hit balls all day long, and leave at 5. You have to do that.
“You have a 20-year window of opportunity as an athlete. Concentrate on golf, nothing else. When you retire [in your] 40s, 50s, hopefully you have another 40 years to enjoy it. Just concentrate on golf, nothing else. That’s my only words of wisdom to Rory.”
Faldo, who won two of his six career major championships at Muirfield, is competing this week and discussed McIlroy’s slump with reporters on Monday.
“I saw what he said, and he said I should be at the course 9-to-5,’’ a miffed McIlroy said yesterday. “I actually was on the range at 6:15 [a.m.] and got out of the gym at 6:15 [p.m.] — actually a 12-hour day compared to his eight-hour day. Nick should know how hard this game is at times. He’s been in our position before and he should know how much work that we all put into it.’’
As he has listened to the criticisms mount, McIlroy said he has thought to himself, “What’s the big deal? I haven’t had the best six months, but it’s OK. I’m fine. I’ve got a good life. I’m in a good place. I’m working hard. I feel like I’m working on the right things. And sooner or later it will turn around and I’ll be back lifting trophies.’’
But for those who are awaiting Woods-like dominance from McIlroy, don’t hold your breath and count to 100. Don’t even bother counting to 10. It’s not going to happen. Never will. From anybody.
The game has become too deep for us to see the kind of single-minded dominance Woods displayed and there are too many platinum-plated trappings off the course to distract top players from having the kind of intense tunnel-vision focus Woods had during his supremacy.
Woods’ life was nothing but golf when he was at his peak.
McIlroy has too many other things going on in his life to ever possess the same kind of lethal focus Woods had, and that’s OK. Let’s not maim him for it. If he wins three, four or five more majors in his lifetime, that doesn’t make McIlroy anything less than a great player in his time.
It just makes those of us who jumped to the conclusion that he was going to become Woods or even one day overtake Woods wrong for rushing to judgment.