What does this win do for Rory?

[MarkT]

I promise I won’t mention the Masters (again) but how important is this win for Rory?

Just read some of his quotes eg ‘I just want to be me etc’ and he says he wants to simplify things and just get on with it a bit more with less tinkering…

Some will say it’s just a win in a limited field in the desert but is hopefully the start again of some better stuff. When he said at the start of the week ‘if I can play my best, I’m the best in the world’ I cringed a bit knowing how people would interpret it, brilliant that he’s backed it up so quickly

Great to see him win again, now level with Greg Norman for PGA Tour wins

 

[Neilds]

I promise I won’t mention the Masters (again) but how important is this win for Rory?

Just read some of his quotes eg ‘I just want to be me etc’ and he says he wants to simplify things and just get on with it a bit more with less tinkering…

Some will say it’s just a win in a limited field in the desert but is hopefully the start again of some better stuff. When he said at the start of the week ‘if I can play my best, I’m the best in the world’ I cringed a bit knowing how people would interpret it, brilliant that he’s backed it up so quickly

Great to see him win again, now level with Greg Norman for PGA Tour wins

If that was a limited field, then I would hate to see a packed field - still plenty of top players in there!

The thing that I took from his interview was when he said he just needed to play golf. Always thought he didn't play regular enough to get some consistency. A fact that most on this forum can probably relate to.

 

[Orikoru]

The same as winning the Wells Fargo earlier this year did for him... not much?

 

[BiMGuy]

20 wins on the PGA Tour is significant, as with that and 15 years membership he will have a lifetime exemption.

 

[jimbob.someroo]

He'll win a couple more between now and the end of August 2022, and people will be talking about another 'disappointing' 3 win season for Rory. He's just really good. And has probably got 15 years+ left on tour if he wants it. There's just an unobtainably-high bar for him to reach every year.

Hope it gives him some confidence to do things his way, but not sure it changes a whole lot.

 

[Swango1980]

Interesting he said he was trying to be someone else. I can see this. I think Bryson comes onto the scene with his big hitting, and Rory wants to compete with that. He looks to Tiger and his mentality, and he wants that. He probably looks at people like Dustin, Spieth and Thomas when they hit form, and wants to emulate them.

Crazy. Tiger never tried to be anyone other than Tiger Woods. Jack was Jack. Mickleson tries to be Mickleson. Dustin is Dustin. Bryson is doing things his own way. In other words, the best golfers believe in themselves, and look to be the best they can be by focusing on them. Whereas it seems Rory feels / felt he needs to copy others who are currently showing success.

If Rory can truly believe in himself, and be himself, I wonder if that could provide him with more sustained good form?

 

[Oddsocks]

It’s definitely a confidence booster in what have been darker times compared with historic form…..but….. I do think it’s a case of there are more import things in his life outside of golf and rightly so.

I love to see him sit in the top 5 and just smile again, he seems to have lost the enjoyment when you view it on television

 

[Billysboots]

Interesting he said he was trying to be someone else. I can see this. I think Bryson comes onto the scene with his big hitting, and Rory wants to compete with that. He looks to Tiger and his mentality, and he wants that. He probably looks at people like Dustin, Spieth and Thomas when they hit form, and wants to emulate them.

Crazy. Tiger never tried to be anyone other than Tiger Woods. Jack was Jack. Mickleson tries to be Mickleson. Dustin is Dustin. Bryson is doing things his own way. In other words, the best golfers believe in themselves, and look to be the best they can be by focusing on them. Whereas it seems Rory feels / felt he needs to copy others who are currently showing success.

If Rory can truly believe in himself, and be himself, I wonder if that could provide him with more sustained good form?

Perfectly put. Rory needs to focus on his own game, not what others around him are doing.

 

[MarkT]

Interesting he said he was trying to be someone else. I can see this. I think Bryson comes onto the scene with his big hitting, and Rory wants to compete with that. He looks to Tiger and his mentality, and he wants that. He probably looks at people like Dustin, Spieth and Thomas when they hit form, and wants to emulate them.

Crazy. Tiger never tried to be anyone other than Tiger Woods. Jack was Jack. Mickleson tries to be Mickleson. Dustin is Dustin. Bryson is doing things his own way. In other words, the best golfers believe in themselves, and look to be the best they can be by focusing on them. Whereas it seems Rory feels / felt he needs to copy others who are currently showing success.

If Rory can truly believe in himself, and be himself, I wonder if that could provide him with more sustained good form?

This is a great point, often think he's too clever/emotionally intuitive or aware or whatever he is when he could sometimes do with being a bit more like DJ. Then again we all love the thoughtful Rory too when listening to him

 

[MarkT]

It's such a stupid thing to say but if he could have won the Masters years ago then I do think a lot of mental baggage could have been packed away a long time ago.

 

[SatchFan]

No more important than any other win. He won earlier this year, had a bad Ryder Cup, missed a couple of cuts elsewhere, but hardly played that shabbily the rest of the time. Rickie Fowler's return to some sort of form is a more poignant story seeing as he was so far down the world rankings. Rory plummeting all the way down to world no. 15 is hardly a fall from grace.

 

[Billysboots]

It's such a stupid thing to say but if he could have won the Masters years ago then I do think a lot of mental baggage could have been packed away a long time ago.

Agreed, Mark. If we all still have vivid memories of Rory playing his second from someone’s back garden on 10 in the final round at Augusta all those years ago, you can bet your life he does. I wonder if the scars from that day have ever truly healed. The same must be said for his opening round at Portrush in The Open. Those two rounds were hyped beyond belief before McIlroy even stepped onto the first tee, and he literally went into meltdown on both occasions in full view of the watching public.

Some of Rory’s best rounds over the years seem to have been played when they have been preceded by shockers and the weight of expectation has been lifted. If he could find a way of adopting that mindset every round he would be there or thereabouts every week.

 

[Bdill93]

I hope its a turning point but it probably isnt

 

[Swango1980]

No more important than any other win. He won earlier this year, had a bad Ryder Cup, missed a couple of cuts elsewhere, but hardly played that shabbily the rest of the time. Rickie Fowler's return to some sort of form is a more poignant story seeing as he was so far down the world rankings. Rory plummeting all the way down to world no. 15 is hardly a fall from grace.

Depends on perspective. Yes, if the potential of McIlroy (based on golfing ability) is only considered good enough to make him one of many good players over his career, then world 15 is no disaster (I'd take that myself). However, if you feel his potential deserves so much more, and to potentially dominate the game for years, then it can be argued he is miles away from where he could be. It would be like Tiger Woods floating between World Number 1 and Number 20 during his prime because he had the wrong mentality to the game. You never truly know what some could be capable of if they truly believed in themselves, but for anyone that would have said Tiger could be so much better if he had the right mentality, would clearly have been correct. Because, he DID have the right mentality, and we know that got him to a position where he absolutely dominated the game.

Fowler is also an interesting story. He has pretty much vanished from the scene after so much hype. Can he get back? Lots of players have done the same. I remember players like Keegan Bradley, Dufner, Mahan, Snedeker, etc where amongst the favourites in every competition they played Many have also plummeted down the rankings. I guess it is a scary thought for a pro. We all tend to have purple patches, and then go through extensive periods where we cannot do anything right. Imagine going through that when your career was on the line.

 

[Swango1980]

Agreed, Mark. If we all still have vivid memories of Rory playing his second from someone’s back garden on 10 in the final round at Augusta all those years ago, you can bet your life he does. I wonder if the scars from that day have ever truly healed. The same must be said for his opening round at Portrush in The Open. Those two rounds were hyped beyond belief before McIlroy even stepped onto the first tee, and he literally went into meltdown on both occasions in full view of the watching public.

Some of Rory’s best rounds over the years seem to have been played when they have been preceded by shockers and the weight of expectation has been lifted. If he could find a way of adopting that mindset every round he would be there or thereabouts every week.

Yes, to me, there is a pattern of McIlroy's scoring.

He either has a shocker on Day 1, and then shoots round of the tournament on Day 2 when the expectations have gone. OR, he gets off to a flyer on Day 1, but then struggles to maintain that on Day 2 and falls away.

Either way, he'll often make the cut, but not be a frontrunner. He then has an amazing Saturday and get himself right in the mix.

On the Sunday he then just has a melt down. He may stay in touch for part of the round, but frustration or the weight of expectation get to him and he falls away. Maybe as he tries to force the issue, and turns an easy birdie putt into a careless 3 putt bogey. He is a frustrating player if you want him to do well.

 

[Slab]

Agreed, Mark. If we all still have vivid memories of Rory playing his second from someone’s back garden on 10 in the final round at Augusta all those years ago, you can bet your life he does. I wonder if the scars from that day have ever truly healed. The same must be said for his opening round at Portrush in The Open. Those two rounds were hyped beyond belief before McIlroy even stepped onto the first tee, and he literally went into meltdown on both occasions in full view of the watching public.

Some of Rory’s best rounds over the years seem to have been played when they have been preceded by shockers and the weight of expectation has been lifted. If he could find a way of adopting that mindset every round he would be there or thereabouts every week.

If he was a club golfer you'd easily back him to pick up a monthly medal during the summer but keep your wallet shut tight when it comes to winning a board comp!

 

[Liverpoolphil]

It just shows that golf is a sport of varying form levels - just like all the others

It shows he is still one of the best golfers in the world and has been over the last 10 years

And it shows that there is plenty of life left in his golf career

Just before Covid hit he was flying

The last 12 months have seen him become a father which changes his outlook

I have no doubt that Rory will win further majors

 

[Billysboots]

It just shows that golf is a sport of varying form levels - just like all the others

It shows he is still one of the best golfers in the world and has been over the last 10 years

And it shows that there is plenty of life left in his golf career

Just before Covid hit he was flying

The last 12 months have seen him become a father which changes his outlook

I have no doubt that Rory will win further majors

He won’t win another Major, Phil, unless he can find a way of stringing together four rounds under pressure. With the odd exception he has not been able to do that for a long, long time.

 

[Bdill93]

He won’t win another Major, Phil, unless he can find a way of stringing together four rounds under pressure. With the odd exception he has not been able to do that for a long, long time.

Which he has in the past!

Form is temporary, Class is permanent

He will win again

 

[rksquire]

I promise I won’t mention the Masters (again) but how important is this win for Rory?

Just read some of his quotes eg ‘I just want to be me etc’ and he says he wants to simplify things and just get on with it a bit more with less tinkering…

Some will say it’s just a win in a limited field in the desert but is hopefully the start again of some better stuff. When he said at the start of the week ‘if I can play my best, I’m the best in the world’ I cringed a bit knowing how people would interpret it, brilliant that he’s backed it up so quickly

Great to see him win again, now level with Greg Norman for PGA Tour wins

Would be surprised if anyone said that - 37 of the worlds top 50, pretty strong field.

Well, he's not finished or won't ever win again.

I think when he talked about "trying to be someone else", he's a smart guy, he was thinking it would improve him and that's how he'd get back to contending in Majors. But the reality is, being a naturally gifted McIlroy is pretty good. Out hitting Ancer and Fowler (both using drivers) with your fairway wood and a hotter putter is better than spraying the ball all over the desert. Positives from the weekend is how he got into contention on Saturday, managed his round on Sunday and closed it out using hybrids rather than going for the spectacular.

But, his approach play stats were average so still work to do and the course maybe suit him - the greens & the weather certainly did. It gives him a confidence boost though and confirms a number of things - good tee and putting stats means he will contend. Hopefully though he won't automatically think he's back or the work is done, he needs to work hard at what he's good at, and not get distracted by chasing other peoples talent or temperament. At his best he is a top 5 player, establishing himself alongside Rahm, Morikawa, DJ, Xander, BDC and Cantlay should be achievable but it is his character that he wants Majors and in particular a Green jacket and he needs to manage that expectation by ensuring he remains in contention in other tournaments - and cares about them too.