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Are we entering a new Spieth-McIlroy era?

By Mike McGovern
Published on

READING, Pa. -- It's funny how things can change in a weekend; how, over the course of two days, nine or 10 hours total, the future of a sport can go from OK to "Oh, wow."

Before last weekend, men's professional golf was trying to figure out what happens and where it goes in the post-Tiger Woods era, which, if it hasn't already begun, is imminent enough to be using an egg timer to count it down.

Woods might win more PGA Tour events, and he might even win another major or two, but at 39 years old, the days of him being the dominant player in the sport are over. His chance of overtaking Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major championships has all but disappeared.

Injuries, lots of them, have taken a physical toll on Woods; his wreck of a personal life has taken a psychological toll; and his confidence, plus the aura of invincibility that came with it, has suffered as a result, also due to his ever-changing golf swing.

I've lost track of what version he's on.

The bottom line is that Woods and his Sunday red shirt don't scare folks the way they used to.

Which is why the ascendency of Rory McIlroy to world No. 1 has been pretty well timed. No one can fill the void left by the Woods we used to know, but McIlroy, who won two majors last year and has four overall -- he's only 25 -- provides the perfect combination of performance and personality, of style and substance.

But individual sports like golf and tennis aren't solo acts. They thrive on rivalries and, prior to last weekend, McIlroy, through no fault of his own, wasn't part of one.

That's why those nine or 10 hours at Augusta National were so important: A rivalry was born, one that likely will have a long shelf life.

It's not just that 21-year-old Jordan Spieth won the Masters.

It's the way he won -- with grit and guile, talent and maturity that many players way more experienced would be unable to demonstrate at the John Deere Classic, let alone on golf's most revered stage.

Spieth doesn't hit it all that far, but what he lacks in distance he makes up for in accuracy. And once he gets to the green well, you're surprised when he misses a putt. Actually, you're surprised if the ball doesn't tumble into the hole dead-center, as if the number of revolutions required from putter to cup had been precisely calculated.

Spieth has an on-course presence that's Tiger-like and a personality that's Phil-like.

So does McIlroy.

Which begs the question: How do you take sides?

How do you choose to root for one and against the other, because they're both as likeable as they are talented.

They're both family oriented, classy, humble, respectful of the game, accommodating of the media and appreciative of the fans.

They also understand that they're stewards of the game and not just shills for Nike (McIlroy) and Under Armour (Spieth).

Oh, there are few contrasts.

McIlroy is more buff, shows less forehead and hits it farther.

Spieth does just fine without rippling forearms, makes jokes about his receding hairline and is every bit as good short as McIlroy is long.

But what often fuels these rivalries in golf and tennis is the lack of gray area. There's usually no middle ground when it comes to choosing between rivals: Woods and Phil Mickelson, Jack ("Fat Jack") Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Nick Faldo, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, Borg and Jimmy Connors, Chris ("America's Sweetheart") Evert and Martina Navratilova.

Usually there's no middle ground, but not always: Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were both good guys, as are Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Making it tough to choose for the opposite reason was the lesser-of-the-evils rivalry between Connors and McEnroe, who had too much "personality," and Ivan Lendl, who had next to none.

We can only hope McIlroy vs. Spieth turns out to be something special. They could dominate the game for years -- decades, actually -- and their rivalry would provide a major boost.

And speaking of major, the U.S. Open starts in 59 days, with the weekend coverage airing in prime time. If we're lucky, McIlroy and Spieth will duke it out at Chambers Bay. Talk about your must-see TV.

This article was written by Mike McGovern from Reading Eagle, Pa. and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.