McIlroy everybody’s favourite

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/07/2011 (5481 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SANDWICH, England — It’s no great secret why golf embraced the runaway U.S. Open victory of Rory McIlroy last month like a starving man wrapping himself around Christmas dinner.

The sport is dying for someone who plays like Tiger Woods without being like him.

Someone who will smile and tell a story, reveal a little of himself, make eye contact, interact with fans, be a real person.

The 22-year-old McIlroy strolled into the Open Championship media room Tuesday and within minutes had charmed the socks off reporters and columnists and TV people alike.

He had them at “hello,” nearly… but he certainly had them after answering a question about how life has been for his parents since the U.S. Open.

“Mum and dad have been nearly as busy as I’ve been the last few weeks, seeing everyone,” said McIlroy, who hasn’t played, only practised, since his victory at Congressional Country Club outside Washington, D.C.

“But it’s been great. Dad has been a huge influence on my career.

“Last night, we went down to Royal County Down at about 7 in the evening, and it was just me and him on the golf course, basically no one else, and I played nine holes and he walked around and… it was just a really nice moment. We did the exact same thing last year going into St. Andrews. It sort of brought back a lot of memories, playing with my dad, long summer nights, teeing off at 5 and sort of getting in at 9.”

The kid from Holywood, Northern Ireland, whose hometown has been besieged for several days by visiting scribes seeking the real dope on golf’s saviour-elect, was pleasingly candid, with just a hint of youthful cockiness and the kind of self-assurance that goes with an eight-stroke victory in the season’s second major.

The third begins Thursday, and McIlroy is the bookmakers’ favourite, at odds of 7-to-1. Judging by the stampede that greeted his arrival Tuesday at Royal St. George’s, he is just about everyone’s favourite.

Told there have been reports of two separate wagers of 20,000 British pounds on him to win, he was asked whether, in his opinion, these bettors were very shrewd or very desperate.

McIlroy grinned and said: “I’ll go for the first option.”

Because, of course, he expects to win. Royal St. George’s, hard, bouncy and windblown, will be as different from Congressional as two golf courses can be, but the preternaturally mature McIlroy, who shot 63 in the first round of last year’s Open on the links at St. Andrews, sees no reason he can’t contend.

“I mean, I don’t think I’ll be able to play that sort of golf every week I tee it up — I hope I do, but I can’t see it,” he said. “But yeah, expectations are going to be high. I have high expectations myself. I want to go out there and try and win a lot of golf tournaments and win majors and become the best player in the world.”

He’ll play the first two rounds with hyped American phenom Rickie Fowler and three-time major winner Ernie Els, who’s going to feel about 100 years old alongside the two kids.

It may well be the most-watched group Thursday and Friday, but McIlroy isn’t exactly a shrinking violet.

He played the Ryder Cup last year in Wales. He led the Open a year ago, shot 80 in the second round, then came back on the weekend in 69-68 to finish third. He led the Masters this spring after 63 holes.

“I’m the sort of person that likes to have people watching,” he said. “It’s not going to be the first time I’ve played in front of big crowds. Last time I played a competitive round of golf (at Congressional) I had a pretty big crowd following me. No, I’ll be fine. It’s nice to be the centre of attention.”

— Postmedia News

10 to watch

SANDWICH, England — A cool head and a refusal to cave in to the bounces will be keys to winning this week at hard, bouncy Royal St. George’s.

Here are 10 who could:

— Lee Westwood: Amazingly consistent at being there or thereabouts on Sunday at majors.

— Rory McIlroy: Hard to bet against the U.S. Open winner’s combination of game and confidence.

— Luke Donald: World’s No. 1 player is calm, collected and has a fabulous short game.

— Retief Goosen: Getting his game back and is the only top-10 finisher from 2003 here who is still a factor.

— Sergio Garcia: OK, he’s the one who doesn’t fit the profile. Just a hunch he’s on his way back up.

— Nick Watney: Looks like he has the chops to deal with links golf, and he’s on a roll.

— Justin Leonard: The 1997 champ’s a good Open player, wind not a problem for him, good short game.

— Ernie Els: Seems to have forgotten how to close the deal in big ones, but he might remember.

— Jason Day: Not sure how he’ll handle this course, but he’s been runner-up at both majors this year.

— K.J. Choi: Good player on tough courses. Unflappable, which you have to be here.

— Cam Cole