A couple of magnificent performances over the weekend from two of the top stars in the game should make some of the dissenting golf fans very happy.
I alluded to this in a column some time ago. I heard several comments, especially during the build-up to the Masters, that most of the big names in the game were not playing well and most of the winners were either first-timers or players not big enough to attract larger television audiences.
Going by the same logic, with Adam Scott wining the Colonial on the PGA Tour and Rory McIlroy taking his first BMW PGA Championship — both in extremely heroic fashion — it should bode very well for the US Open, which will be played next month in Pinehurst.
Let me begin with Scott. One week after becoming the World No 1, he was facing an uphill battle to retain the ranking. For most of the first two rounds, it looked as if he would miss the cut, which would hand the advantage to Henrik Stenson, who was playing well in the PGA Championship.
But Scott turned his form, and the tournament, on its head. He was just supreme over the last few holes in Friday’s second round and the whole of the weekend, before beating Jason Dufner in the third play-off hole.
Most players will say that they are not unduly worried about the No 1 ranking, but I think they just tell sweet lies to themselves. To be called the best in the world in your chosen field is a dream for everyone, and golfers are no different. So, for him to withstand that pressure in such brilliant fashion, speaks volumes about Scott’s development as a golfer.
The Colonial win also gave the Aussie a ‘Texas Slam’, having won each of the four PGA Tour events played in the state. I am an alumni from Abilene Christian University in Texas and I know how much Texans love their golf, and good golfers. Scotty should consider making a second home there!
On to Rory, and I don’t think I have to write about the circumstances leading up to his fabulous win in Wentworth. You never want to see any love story ending this way and it was evident Rory was hurting. But the way he channelled that hurt into something positive on the golf course was just amazing.
There were signs of Rory getting back into the kind of form that made him the World No 1 and this is a definite step back towards that goal. However, the next couple of tournaments will be a litmus test for him, because he will now be expecting a lot more from his own game. Let’s see how things turn out for him.
— Jeev Milkha Singh is a four-time champion on the European Tour
