Is Rory McIlroy the Next Golfer to Challenge Tiger Woods?

[Dirty]

Posted Aug 18, 2009 2:15PM By Ryan Wilson (RSS feed)
Filed Under: PGA, PGA Championship

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The list of players, both young and old, who would challenge Tiger Woods is a lengthy one. Thirteen years after Woods turned pro, we're still waiting.

Phil Mickelson has always been in the conversation, but names like Charles Howell and David Gossett were gone faster than they came. Sergio Garcia was the clear choice in the late '90s and early '00s, but 10 years after bursting on the scene at the '99 PGA Championship as a 19-year-old phenom, he's still searching for his first major victory. Real life sidetracked David Duval, also a legit threat to Tiger's legacy around the time of Garcia's emergence.

And now, Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim and Andreas Romero are often mentioned as likely candidates to unseat the world's best player.

Up till two weeks ago, anyway. Padraig Harrington, who has struggled through the 2009 season after winning three majors the two previous years, finally found his game. He came within a 16th-hole snowman of beating Woods at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. And he was in the running to win the PGA Championship until another 8 ruined his final round and sealed his fate.

In those 16 strokes, Paddy went from "the guy best positioned to dethrone Tiger" to "another name for The List (as described in the first paragraph)."

But what about Rory McIlroy? He finished tied for third at Hazeltine, and not only that, he made the cut at every major this season (20th at the Masters, 10th at the U.S. Open, and 47th at the British Open). Even more impressive: he seemed unfazed by the media-frenzied spectacle that these events have become. Oh, and he's 20 years old.

Save the British, where he competed as an amateur in 2007, this was McIlroy's first time making the rounds at the majors. He appeared to take it all in stride, however. "It's been a great week and I have a lot to build on. This is only my first year in the Majors, so I learned a few things on my way and that should help me to build on them next year. Hopefully I'll get in a couple better finishes than just the top 10 or top five."

Shane Bacon identified McIlroy as one of the "winners" at the PGA, writing: "[He]seems like the kid who will win one of these majors soon enough. He doesn't let himself get down, he has the moxie to compete against anyone and now has the experience. Oh, and it appears he has the girl, too."

So, for now, it appears McIlroy is the guy to challenge Tiger. History suggests that could change on a whim (at one time Sergio possessed many of the qualities that make McIlroy so successful) and maybe it already has. After all, Y.E. Yang did pull off the unthinkable just two days ago.



Is Rory McIlroy the Next Golfer to Challenge Tiger Woods? -- Golf FanHouse

[Cooper]

I'm not sure he has the intestinal fortitude but he could prove me wrong.

I think it will have to be Kim or Mahan as the leading candidates right now, but I do think there are going to be quite a few young kids coming up that will have the confidence and ability to make a difference.

I think Tiger's dominance is about to end, BUT I do not think that he's going to start performing on a lower level. I just think the competition is going to stiffen up so that one of the other 10 or so guys that has a chance will actually be up there more times than not.

[doc mercer]

I think its Danny Lee ....

19 right now by a month

dynamite swing

youngest winner of US Am

holds record for most week as #1 ranked AM in World Am Golf Rankings

Won the Johnnie Walker as an AM in January of this year

13th at the Byron Nelson and 7th at AT&T National this year

Turned Pro after the Masters this year

I like Lee more than Tin Cup, Jr right now as something about this kid is special