Double Major winning Rory McIlroy wants to lead a new dominance in world golf.
With so many observers questioning as to whether Tiger Woods will ever get near Jack Nicklaus’ all-time Majors record along with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and even Padraig Harrington now well into their 40s, McIlroy says he and the likes of he and Australia’s Adam Scott need to now grasp the opportunities.
“The Masters is not just wide open now that Tiger’s not playing, but most tournaments are wide open and you only have to look at the winners on Tour the last few months,” he said.
“It’s been a different guy every week and it’s almost like golf is waiting for something to stamp their authority on the game and be that dominant player
“We’ve seen players in the past like Tiger and Vijay to a certain point in the middle 2000s win nine, ten times a year. We haven’t seen that since as it’s so much harder to win out here.
Rory McIlroy teeing off at the 15th hole in the Shell Houston Open Pro-Am (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“So a few guys need to put their hands up and try and be the dominant player in the game because that’s what people want to see, and it’s great for the sport to people up there week in, week out that win tournaments, and then that creates rivalries, and we haven’t seen that in golf for a couple of years.
“And personally it would be nice to see someone to break away and dominate the game.
“Of course, I hope it’s me (laughing) but as golf fan myself the opportunity at the minute to do this is wide open.”
McIlroy, who was speaking on the eve of this week’s Shell Houston Open, had spent Monday and Tuesday at Augusta National in readiness for next week’s Masters.
And it came as no surprise to him when on the course Tuesday to learn Woods had withdrawn from the season’s opening Major Championship.
Rory McIlroy drives off the par four 17th hole at the Redstone GC. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“Hearing Tiger had pulled out did not come as a shock,” said McIlroy on the eve of today’s commencing Shell Houston Open.
“He’s been struggling since the back end of last year and really I didn’t expect him to play the Masters knowing how he has been struggling but then I was surprised to see that he needed to have an operation.
“I didn’t know it was that bad but at the end of the day his health is much more important, he has to sort that out.
“Look, it’s a shame for him, a shame for the Masters and a shame for golf. But the Masters will still be the Masters, even though he won’t be there.”
McIlroy will tee up over the opening two rounds of the $US 6.2m Shell Houston Open in the company of the Dustin Johnson and Luke Donald teeing up at 12.40pm (local time – 6.40pm Irish)
Rory McIlroy with two 1st tee participants during Wednesday’s Shell Houston Open Pro Am. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
He is returning to competition for a first time since ending T25th early last month in the WGC- Cadillac Championship.
McIlroy had spent the past few weeks chasing future wife Caroline Wozniacki from California back to Florida before getting serious ahead of the Masters.
“My coach Michael Bannon and my fitness trainer Steve McGregor were over last week, and we’ve had some really good hard sessions, doing all our final prep work for the Masters,” said McIlroy.
“So I feel good and excited that the majors are about to begin again. It feels like a long time since the last one but I feel like I’m in great shape going into them this time.”
Joining McIlroy in the Houston field will be fellow Irish Darren Clarke competing alongside Tommy Gainey and former Masters champ Mike Weir (1pm local time).
And Padraig Harrington will join Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Belgium’s Nicloas Colsaerts teeing up at 7.40am local time and with all three needing to win this week to secure the last remaining Masters invitation.
