The moment was perfect and Phil Mickelson could not help himself.
Mickelson, who enjoys use of the good-natured needle with fellow players, caddies and whomever else might be around, was walking to the 17th green at Ridgewood Country Club in his Barclays Championship pro-am round on Wednesday while Rory McIlroy was teeing off on the 18th.
“Hey, Rory,’’ Mickelson bellowed over the crowd surrounding the tee box. “Do you mind if we play up 18 with you after you hit your tee shot?’’
The crowd murmured with that kind of moan you hear when someone publicly challenges someone else and fisticuffs are expected to ensue. But for Mickelson it was all about the pure fun of poking an opponent. Mickelson got a laugh out of McIlroy and was effusive in his praise of the game’s No. 1 ranked player, calling him “one of the best guys out here.’’
Mickelson was referring the chaotic scramble that occurred two weeks ago at the end of the PGA Championship at Valhalla, where tournament officials, in an effort to make sure McIlroy, who was in the final group and about to win the tournament, finished No. 18 before darkness fell.
In doing so, the officials bum-rushed Mickelson and his playing partner, Rickie Fowler, who were competing in the second-to-last group and very much still in contention, allowing McIlroy to play up 18 with them.
Both Mickelson and Fowler were ticked off about the way it was handled at the time, but took the high road afterward. They realized the outcome would not have been altered by the unfortunate mess, that McIlroy was going to win the tournament regardless.
McIlroy, who has won the past two major championships, which gives him four in his career at age 25, is playing so well right now he can probably win this week while playing in the dark.
It has become very apparent, too, during this remarkable run he is on —Â having won his last three tournaments —Â that McIlroy is now the big dog in the sport.
He has supplanted Tiger Woods as the man until further notice.
He and Woods toured around town together this week, guesting on Monday night’s “Tonight Show’’ with Jimmy Fallon and then appearing with Fallon at a splashy Nike event to launch its new “Vapor’’ irons at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City.
At both the “Tonight Show’’ and the Nike event, particularly with Woods unable to swing a club while he rests his ailing back, it was an odd sight to see Woods as the caddie of sorts to McIlroy.
Those were rare moments watching Woods play second fiddle. But they were symbolic moments.
McIlroy, who said it was “good to catch up with’’ Woods and that they had “good fun,’’ added that Woods “kept telling me he wasn’t done yet.’’
“He really wants to get healthy and really looking forward to getting back out there,’’ McIlroy said. “Obviously, he believes he’s still got some of his best golf left.’’
Several months ago, before the 2014 season really got underway, McIlroy was candid about his hope to step forward and be the top gun in golf again, the way he was briefly in 2012 when he ascended to No. 1 for the first time.
Now he’s done that. And with that comes the questions about whether the torch has been passed from Woods to McIlroy. This is something McIlroy isn’t crazy about embracing, because he said he doesn’t believe in it.
“I’m not comfortable because I know that [Woods] is working his butt off to get back here and get back to where he wants to be,’’ McIlroy said. “We talked about a few things and he’s telling me, ‘I’m not going to let you win a green jacket next year [a Masters win would complete the career Grand Slam for McIlroy].’
“Look, I’m just going to keep playing my golf and play as good as I can, and I’ll see where that takes me. But I don’t think any torch has been passed, and I don’t think any torch will ever be passed because I never think of myself in that way. I don’t see the need for me to carry any sort of torch. I just want to win golf tournaments.’’