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Rory McIlroy leading way as pro golf transitions into new generation

By Dan O'Neill
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Rory McIlroy leading way as pro golf transitions into new generation

 
Rory McIlroy won again Sunday, did so in dominating style. He's done that a few times in his young career, in majors, in World Golf Championship events and elsewhere.
 
He's special, more so than people realize.
 
Golf is in a transitional place right now, dealing with Post-Tiger Syndrome, or PTS. At some point things will stabilize, order will be restored. But the aftershocks of what Woods did during the apex of his career haven't completely subsided.
 
Let's face it, we were spoiled, if that's the proper term. Our definition for special got blown out of proportion. It's sort of like we saw Lexi Thompson at a golf tournament in person and then saw her on the cover of Golf Digest. The bar got lifted, dramatically. Thompson now has a lot to live up to the next time we see her in person.
 
The analogy applies in a more competitive sense where Woods is concerned. The creation is impacting the creator. Woods is trying to sift through yet another swing change and find an effective game. He keeps assuring everyone he is making progress.
 
But one of the biggest challenges facing the 39-year-old Woods is measuring up to the former Tiger Woods. From 1999 through 2002, a time during which he went from age 23 to 26, Woods won seven times over a stretch of 11 majors. At one stage he won four consecutive majors and five of six. At one point, he won six consecutive PGA Tour starts.
 
The statistics he collected and the golf courses he dominated were equally extraordinary. One by one, the great ones fell to mind-blowing performances – Augusta National, Pebble Beach and St. Andrews. With his 79 PGA Tour wins and 14 majors, Woods has changed the sport in ways it had never been changed, socially, culturally, industrially.
 
From a playing standpoint, Woods had to make that kind of splash to generate that kind of attention because he followed Jack Nicklaus. The "Golden Bear" dominated the sport in equal and, in some ways, even more profound fashion.
 
Nicklaus had 73 PGA Tour wins and his record 18 majors, which is looking less threatened each time Woods tees it up. At various stages in his career, Nicklaus competed with what some might call golf's "Greatest Generation." The group included the likes of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Ray Floyd, Billy Casper, Seve Ballesteros, Johnny Miller, Hale Irwin, Larry Nelson and Greg Norman.
 
Those 13 players accounted for 68 major championships and 457 PGA Tour wins. Nicklaus finished second a record 19 times in majors, including second to six of those players 13 times. By comparison, Woods' biggest competition in his career has come from Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Paidraig Harrington, Vijay Singh and now McIlroy. They account for 16 majors. Woods has six second-place finishes in majors, none to any of those players. Make what you will of that.
 
Nicklaus had to make a splash to be appreciated in the manner he is. He followed the likes of Hogan, Byron Nelson, Snead, Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen. In sports, the best way to be known as the greatest is to be the latest.
 
For instance, most people consider Tiger's remarkable run from August 1999 through June 2002 to be as good as it gets, as good as it's ever gotten. But from 1923 to 1930, Jones also won seven of the 11 professional majors he played in, and his average finish was second. Hogan averaged a second-place finish during a stretch from 1948 to 1953, when he captured eight of 12 major championship starts. During his best run, Woods' average finish was seventh.
 
The point is, when an iconic figure like Woods comes along, we tend to apply that incredible standard to everyone who follows. Perhaps it is keeping us from painting McIlroy in his true colors.
 
When McIlroy won the WGC-Cadillac Match Play earlier this month, much was made of him joining Woods and Nicklaus as the only players to reach 10 PGA Tour wins by age 26. On the surface, McIlroy's log – now 11 wins – seems modest in comparison. Nicklaus had 17 wins by age 26, Woods a whopping 29. But that's just one way to look at it.
 
Consider the quality of McIlroy's wins. Four are major championships, two are World Golf Championships and two are FedExCup Playoff events. Even his three least prestigious wins have been eye-popping.
 
He came from behind to beat Phil Mickelson with a final-round 62 at Quail Hollow to win the 2010 Wells Fargo. He overcame a Sunday 62 by Woods to capture the 2012 Honda Classic. And last week he fired a third-round 61 on his way to a record 21 under to win Wells Fargo again.
 
Moreover, McIlroy should not be judged by his PGA Tour wins alone. He splits time between the U.S. and the European PGA Tours. As recent Ryder Cup results clearly demonstrate, European wins should be considered no less worthy.
 
So when you tabulate McIlroy's 11 PGA Tour wins by age 26, be sure to count his 11 European PGA Tour wins. He also has three wins elsewhere on the globe, bringing his total to 25.
 
Now put that in the context of today's game, where so few players are able to add on to big wins in a substantial manner. Add it all up and you have something special, PTS notwithstanding.
 
This article was written by Dan O'Neill from St. Louis Post-Dispatch and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.