McIlroy

[fundy]

Hes fallen that far that at the players this week coming where all the big guns (bar Bryson) will be there, the favs (Rahm/Thomas/Morikawa) have approx a 6% chance of winning each. Also ran, washed up McIlroy has an approx 5% chance

 

[MarkT]

I don’t see an anomaly from historical precedent: Nearly all great players who’ve won multiple majors, have won the overwhelming bulk of them in a few years of absolute peak form - generally not longer than a 9 year stretch. Sure, they’ll be there or thereabouts for a few more, and there’s the chance of Norman in 08 and Watson in 09 — and Tiger 19, Phil last year — but these were fairytale outliers..

A nine year career high-point of form is true for Seve, Faldo, Price and true for Tiger also (winning 13 of his 15 majors in a 9 year stretch)

Rory hasn’t won for 8 years - and won his majors when arguably the peak of the world game wasn’t as strong as it is now.

Driver distance was always a big part of his advantage, and quite a few others are on a par with him with that and many elite younger players are honing that skill as a key part of their development

This is a brilliant point but with Rory, who's only 32, it's impossible (in my head) to think that his best days are done. Obviously he's unlikely to win majors by eight shots again but if I had to guess at how many more he'll win I'd go with at least two more.

 

[Ethan]

Rory is still one of the most talented golfers on the planet. Like every other golfer he has a weakness, and I think his weakness is that he doesn't really have a good enough B game he is willing to fall back on when the A game is out of tune.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

I think the point about a fresh (old school) caddy is valid. Someone to give him an iron off the tee and get him in play more often rather than the big shots and hacking out. With his length it won't affect him. Fairways and greens and get the putter hot and he's a threat. Playing like he did over the weekend and he's not going to be in the hunt.

of all the takes that you see on this site, this is up there with one of the worst. take driver out of Rory’s hands and give him an iron.
an absolute generational driver of the ball, but give him an iron so now he hits 4 iron in, instead of 8/9 iron.
complete non-understanding of strokes gained.

the play on every hole, unless there is a clear and obvious risk of penalty, is smack driver everywhere. Not hit a fairway, then try and hit a green from 240 yards.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

of all the takes that you see on this site, this is up there with one of the worst. take driver out of Rory’s hands and give him an iron.
an absolute generational driver of the ball, but give him an iron so now he hits 4 iron in, instead of 8/9 iron.
complete non-understanding of strokes gained.

the play on every hole, unless there is a clear and obvious risk of penalty, is smack driver everywhere. Not hit a fairway, then try and hit a green from 240 yards.

He hit a 3 wood OB at the weekend playing for position.

Being shorter to be more accurate simply does not work as a long term strategy.

Ask Adam Scott how taking the driver out of the bag works out.

 

[Springveldt]

View attachment 41660

A Hall of Fame career

Some people think this is average.

170 top 10 finishes in 354 events. Nearly half the time he tees it up he finishes top 10.

 

[Springveldt]

He hit a 3 wood OB at the weekend playing for position.

Being shorter to be more accurate simply does not work as a long term strategy.

Ask Adam Scott how taking the driver out of the bag works out.

Yep, Scott hit more fairways in R2 with his driver than he did in R1 with the driver out the bag.

I'm sure it will catch on eventually that pro's should be hitting driver at every opportunity available.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Some people think this is average.

170 top 10 finishes in 354 events. Nearly half the time he tees it up he finishes top 10.

Not bad for a journeyman

 

[Deleted member 1147]

of all the takes that you see on this site, this is up there with one of the worst. take driver out of Rory’s hands and give him an iron.
an absolute generational driver of the ball, but give him an iron so now he hits 4 iron in, instead of 8/9 iron.
complete non-understanding of strokes gained.

the play on every hole, unless there is a clear and obvious risk of penalty, is smack driver everywhere. Not hit a fairway, then try and hit a green from 240 yards.

What's needed is an old head to caddy for him. Someone like Steve Williams, who helped Adam Scott so much on the 18th at Lytham .

 

[Deleted member 15717]

What's needed is an old head to caddy for him. Someone like Steve Williams, who helped Adam Scott so much on the 18th at Lytham .

It’s mental how many people think the caddy is the problem.

the 3 wood he smoked OB was the exact same shot as he hit in Dubai. you’d normally place your house on him smacking it bang up the middle, but alas there is a wild one that creeps in every now and again. Unfortunately, one cost him a tournament

 

[Deleted member 29109]

It’s mental how many people think the caddy is the problem.

the 3 wood he smoked OB was the exact same shot as he hit in Dubai. you’d normally place your house on him smacking it bang up the middle, but alas there is a wild one that creeps in every now and again. Unfortunately, one cost him a tournament

A different caddy might have pulled driver which would clear the corner.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

It’s mental how many people think the caddy is the problem.

the 3 wood he smoked OB was the exact same shot as he hit in Dubai. you’d normally place your house on him smacking it bang up the middle, but alas there is a wild one that creeps in every now and again. Unfortunately, one cost him a tournament

A lot of people know jack about golf.
It’s demonstrated ad nauseam on this forum

 

[Deleted member 15717]

A different caddy might have pulled driver which would clear the corner.

absolutely. Which would have more than likely ended up in thick rough and an impossible 2nd shot to make birdie an option.

we will never know. and as, from memory, the majority of longer players seemed to be hitting 3 wood - it seems like it was the play to try and get the angle/yardage to control a shot to the green - so I’ll err on the side that it was the right club, and a poor swing.

 

[sunshine]

I reckon he needs a proper caddy.

And true to form, someone has chipped in with this view lower down the thread. With no hint of irony.

 

[sunshine]

Meanwhile Rory has been ripping shirts, missing cuts and generally doing average considering he is one of the biggest names in golf.

Ripping shirts... because he was in contention to win. Countless times in the last few years he's put himself in position to win and not been able to convert. That's not average, it's very good. It's just not as good as it could have been.

How many cuts has he actually missed?

 

[sunshine]

I'd love to see Rory grind out a round. Tournament winners usually have at least one round where it's not their day. The difference is that the guys who are winning on tour seem to get it round in level par or better on their off day, whereas Rory always seems to let too many shots slip on his bad day.

For clarity, grinding out a round does not mean taking iron off the tee.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

of all the takes that you see on this site, this is up there with one of the worst. take driver out of Rory’s hands and give him an iron.
an absolute generational driver of the ball, but give him an iron so now he hits 4 iron in, instead of 8/9 iron.
complete non-understanding of strokes gained.

the play on every hole, unless there is a clear and obvious risk of penalty, is smack driver everywhere. Not hit a fairway, then try and hit a green from 240 yards.

With his distance he's not going to be overly hampered in terms of distance and if its that big an issue hit a hybrid or a 3W. The point is you can't score from where he's putting the ball if the driver is off. Totally understand strokes gained but I'd rather see him grind a score out and play ugly if you like to get it round. If you watched the coverage a lot were taking irons on some holes (not the par 3's either) to keep it in play as best they could. With those greens you had to be hitting off the fairway.

 

[Imurg]

Rory's problem is that many people expected him to be as good as Tiger.
Why doesn't he win 25% of his tournaments?
Because he's normal..for a Pro.
Forget Tiger...Tiger is the anomaly, the freak, the exception that proves the rule.
There will never be another Tiger
Look at Rory's stats and compare them to everyone else's.....
There are a lot of very good players right now....Rory's still one of them.

 

[fundy]

Rory's problem is that many people expected him to be as good as Tiger.
Why doesn't he win 25% of his tournaments?
Because he's normal..for a Pro.
Forget Tiger...Tiger is the anomaly, the freak, the exception that proves the rule.
There will never be another Tiger
Look at Rory's stats and compare them to everyone else's.....
There are a lot of very good players right now....Rory's still one of them.

so youre saying Tiger was the GOAT....

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Rory's problem is that many people expected him to be as good as Tiger.
Why doesn't he win 25% of his tournaments?
Because he's normal..for a Pro.
Forget Tiger...Tiger is the anomaly, the freak, the exception that proves the rule.
There will never be another Tiger
Look at Rory's stats and compare them to everyone else's.....
There are a lot of very good players right now....Rory's still one of them.

You’re right…except he isn’t normal for a pro. He’s far better, and far more successful that a normal pro.

Kevin Na said that winning 5 times on the PGA tour equalled a successful career.
I’m not sure exactly how many PGA tour events Rory won, but I’m pretty sure it’s a fair few more than 5!