Rory McIlroy is a Very Good Golfer. There are a lot of them in the world and throughout history. Hundreds, maybe a Thousand…who knows.
He might even deserve to be called an Excellent Golfer but he has not yet reached the level where the Golf World is prepared to decide he is a Great Golfer.
The Golf World, is a diverse body of former players and highly regarded press that know who they are. The Golf World has decided that one must have won six majors to be considered a Great Golfer or if you have won all four of the Majors you can come in under the “all four Majors exception.” Or, if your name was Seve Ballesteros and you won five majors you can come in under the Seve Ballesteros Exception.
If you’re up on Golf, you know that Seve won five Majors including the Masters twice and the British Open three times and he was a citizen of the World and off the charts colorful and the Golf World has decided that he is a Great Golfer under the Seve Exception.
RIP Seve Ballesteros.
Moving right along, Time is running out for a Mr. Rory McIlroy, who is 35 years old. He’s won a total of four Majors and three of the four individual Major tournaments. He is missing the Masters, to come in under the “all four Majors” exception or he must win two more Majors which will give him six total and admission into the Great Golfer category…Six Majors required.
Rory just busted out of the next to last Major of the year, the United States Open, in very painful fashion. He was ahead by two shots with just a couple of holes to play and bogied three of the last four holes. In the process he missed two short puts about which the less said the better.
Meanwhile, his opponent and ultimate winner, Bryson De Chambeau, played one of the most heroic finishing holes anyone has ever seen in Major Golf History
Absolute Best of the Best to Bryson!
CONCLUSION
This Piece is about Rory McIlroy and the absolute Agony of Defeat.
This is Life or Death for Rory. Golf has been his life since he was five years old. He’s thirty five now and an only child and he just choked up the US Open Golf tournament at the Moment of Truth. He has to face that fact.
He can’t help but ache inside. He didn’t handle the niceties of congratulating the winner well. Be that as it may. He withdrew from the next tournament, the Greater Hartford Open. Big deal.
He has to face every single bit of the pain that goes with choking. Say it out loud. Shout it. Cry if you have to. He choked.
After a week of self examination. Take a vow. You will play the rest of your life with Courage. You’ve played many times with Tiger. Go play like Tiger played before his injuries.
Rory has the swing and the ability. I bet Tiger would agree. What’s missing is the Heart and Courage.
In a way, Rory is extremely lucky. He has a MAJOR staring him in the face. The British Open starts July 17, 2024 at a course Rory can’t help but being very familiar with.
Win It.
And then, its a long pause and he has the Masters. The only one of the four Majors he hasn’t won.
Win it.
That has to be Rory’s Mission. Go win two Majors in a Row. Tiger won four majors in a row once. Don’t say it can’t be done.
Do what you have to do.
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