The person who knows four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy’s game best will not hear talk about the dawn of a new ‘Rory Era’ in world golf.
Michael Bannon has been McIlroy’s coach since McIlroy was just seven years of age but while the golf world is going overboard predicting McIlroy can go on to break Jack Nicklaus’ 18 Majors winning record, the quietly-spoken Bannon poured cold water on such assertions.
“I would never go there and talk such as a new Rory era and Rory breaking all these records,” he said.
“All I know is where Rory is now and that’s all I am interested in.”
Bannon walked all four rounds outside the ropes greatly admiring the 25-year old capture a second straight Major, and a second PGA Championship in three years.
Rory McIlroy’s long time coach Michael Bannon plays down a new ‘Rory Era’. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
But as it neared 11pm Sunday night Kentucky time, and with McIlroy still in the Valhalla clubhouse undertaking TV and radio interviews, Bannon stood quietly outside waiting before McIlroy emerged and with he and McIlroy’s father Gerry, along with McIlroy’s good friend Harry Bannon plus manager Sean O’Flaherty and Athone chef, Paul McVeigh were headed by private jet to New York.
McIlroy is spending three days in the ‘Big Apple’ before returning home for a fourth hero’s welcome, and this weekend walking out onto center pitch at Old Trafford carrying the Claret Jug ahead of his beloved Manchester United’s clash with Swansea.
And as Bannon waited for McIlroy he spoke how pivotal it was in McIlroy returning to his roots at the parkland Bangor Golf Club in Co. Antrim in the week prior to contesting the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen.
“I tell you what we did as we virtually went back to his roots the week before Royal Aberdeen as we went back to the practice ground and the club at Bangor,” said Bannon.
“We stayed there all week except for two days at Royal County Down and that got the ball rolling for Rory and what he’s done in these three tournaments.
“We tried to keep his ball flight down and just played a lot of links golf, and then went to Scotland and played more links golf and that got us going again.
“And playing the Scottish Open was also pivotal as it is the best preparation I’ve seen Rory undertake heading into The Open. It just gave him a massive boost in confidence. It’s funny because when Rory gets playing well he kind of knows he’s going to win these tournaments.
“The greatest thing about winning here at Valhalla is he didn’t give this one away, and you have to say: “How good was he today?
“And there’s nothing Rory fears. I just know that he has the ability to just do this. He’s just really strong mentally and he was just not letting go. We didn’t let The Open go. We didn’t let the Bridgestone Invitational go and there today you saw again how strong he’s become.
“You can’t learn that and nobody can teach you that.
“And he’s so good to work with as we’ve seen in him winning his last three tournaments and if we can build up a level of consistency in his golf, and keeping everything in the right place and making sure all aspects of the game are there, then he will continue on winning.”
While McIlroy now targets a first FedEx Cup Series title along a third straight Ryder Cup winning cap plus repeating his 2012 effort in ending the year No. 1 on both the European and PGA Tour’s, Bannon says that come April next year his young charger should add a fifth Major to his CV, and in the process become the first Irish player to be fitted for an Augusta green jacket.
“Augusta really suits Rory and look this year, if he had putted well he would have been right up there but one of these days I think he is going to win the Masters,” said Bannon.
“It was great he won The Open, as The Open for us … I mean I watched golf in the 60s and 70s and the 80s you didn’t see much American golf on the TV and I really looked forward each year to The Open as it was always being played so close to us.
“On the green back home when I was practicing him Rory would say he was now holing a putt to win The Open, so for me and everyone one around him to win The Open was massive.
“I know conditions were slightly soft out there but Rory won on a links course to be The Open Champion, so you have to say looking ahead to Augusta, Rory can play any golf course.”
