Rory McIlroy takes inspiration from Tiger Woods ahead of the Open at Turnberry

Rory McIlroy takes inspiration from Tiger Woods ahead of the Open at Turnberry
Jul 16 2009



By Frank Malley, Liverpool Daily Post


RORY McILROY will face up to Tiger Woods this week and put his faith in the fearlessness of youth.

At 20, McIlroy does not carry the scars of so many mauled by Woods.

He has not been down the stretch in an epic battle with Tiger and lost like Sergio Garcia in 1999 at the USPGA at Medinah or been trounced like the entire field when Woods won by eight at St Andrews in 2000 and by 12 in his first US Masters as a professional back in 1997.

Instead, McIlroy, the boy from Hollywood, Northern Ireland, comes to Turnberry for his first Open as a professional intending to tap into the inspiration he has derived from watching Woods winning 14 major titles.

McIlroy said: “I remember when I first talked to Tiger I was nervous. He has some sort of aura about him. He’s just an incredible competitor.


“He hits shots that I wouldn’t be able to hit sometimes. He’s not won 14 majors for nothing and I’m sure he’ll win a few more before his career is over.


“But I’ve enjoyed watching him win his majors. I haven’t had to deal with losing to him a lot or anything like that so it’s been more inspirational for me rather than disheartening that this guy is coming to win every major he plays.”


Just how good is McIlroy, who currently stands at number 22 in the world rankings and starts his Open in the company of Anthony Kim of the United States and South Africa’s Retief Goosen this afternoon? Put it this way, he holds the course record of 61 at Royal Portrush, achieved when he was 15.


It proves nothing, although McIlroy remembers the round well, maintaining: “That was the best round of golf I’ve ever played.”


Such low scoring is out of the question at Turnberry, whose thick rough and trying conditions demand precision driving and meticulous iron play. For McIlroy, who finished 20th in this year’s US Masters and 10th in the US Open, the key is patience.


“I’ve proved to myself that I do have the game to get around major championships,” he said. “It’s about staying patient. If you make a couple of bogeys not trying to chase it and trying to get back to level par because 72 holes is a lot of golf and anything can happen.


“I’ve just realised that I’ve got the game to do well in major championships and that as long as I stay patient and don’t get ahead of myself I know my game can stand up to the hardest test in golf.”


But could he handle the sort of pressure which saw Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson come up the Turnberry stretch locked together in the famous ’Duel in the Sun’ of 1977, the details of which – Watson shooting 65, Nicklaus 66 – are illustrated on the walls of the clubhouse here?


McIlroy said: “I sometimes say to myself this is only your second Open championship. You’ll have 20 or 30 more. There’s no point trying to rush into things. But there’s also a part of me that says: ’You know you’ve got the game to do well here.’ It’s a balance between having the right expectations and trying to fulfil those.

LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT WORK, THAT YE MAY BE [MATURE]…WANTING NOTHING.’ take that patience Don’t be impatient

LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT WORK, THAT YE MAY BE [MATURE]…WANTING NOTHING.’ JAMES 1:4 KJV Don’t be impatient

Just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean God has changed His mind. While you are waiting – God is working. The timing may not be right for Him to get the ultimate glory, and you the maximum benefit. That’s why the Bible says: ‘Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect [mature]…wanting nothing.’ Impatience is a sign of immaturity. Children can’t wait for anything! So, are you being childish or showing maturity? God sets His watch to accomplish His purpose, not ours. Paul writes: ‘We know that all things work…according to His purpose’ (Romans 8:28 KJV). When you understand God’s purpose you won’t permit things that are contrary to it, including hurry and worry. You’ll also know how to allocate your time, your energy and your money – who you should spend your life with and who you should not. God says, ‘ “I make known the end from the beginning…“ ’ so,take that patience(Isaiah 46:10 NIV). First God sets the goal, then He determines the steps that lead to it. And what are we supposed to do while we are waiting? Listen: ‘Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour’ (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV). Begin thanking God today for what He’s done, and what He’s going to do on your behalf, because He will – He absolutely will come through for you!

take that patience