Masters Meltdown

You don’t have to be a golfer to truly appreciate the unraveling of Rory McIlroy yesterday at the Master Golf Tournament.

But it helps.

Only a golfer really knows the feeling of the “wheels coming off”. Hitting it well for a while (usually a MUCH shorter period of time than Rory’s 3 spectacular rounds at Augusta)—and then having it all fall apart. His misery was ours as well.

The 21-year old Irish phenom had tamed the fabled golf course and seemed oblivious to the pressure of the venue and the status of this tournament as one of golf’s “majors”. After all, he led in each of the first three rounds and was taking a four-stroke lead into Sunday’s play. Comparisons were being made to Tiger Woods.

While the first dozen holes saw McIlroy play a couple of strokes over par—and the field tighten around him as others made their move, there was no sense of panic in the Rory camp.

That is, until the 13th hole.

McIlroy pulled his drive so far left that it appeared to come to rest between two houses built alongside the hole. I’ve watched the Masters for over 30 years and had NEVER seen any golfer approach their second shot from what appeared to be a suburban neighborhood.

Rory’s escape shot was OK, but his third went wide left of the hole and it was clear at this point that McIlroy was truly rattled. He three-putted for a triple-bogey 7.

Here’s a video of highlights from the second round, where McIlroy was a magician:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNED49o7i6A&feature=related


The horrible shot making and putting continued—as Rory realized that the 2011 Masters has slipped away. He missed a short putt on 18 that would have salvaged a 79. Instead, his 80 in the final round was the worst Sunday round from the leader going in-ever.

Still, he belied his 21 years by being gracious under the strain and received the ovation of a champion as he walked up to the 18th green. There are those who say that this type of experience could forever derail his chances at winning a major tournament. The term “scarred for life” comes to mind.

I don’t think so.

He’s young, will only get better—and will probably not brood over this collapse as long as we think.

I can tell you this: when the U.S.Open is played at Congresssional this year, he will be a legitimate favorite—and most likely now also the sentimental favorite to win. After the experience of coming unglued in front of a world audience of millions—and facing it all with dignity, who WON’T be rooting for him to win the next major?


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