JP and Rory at US Open
It is nothing short of amusing to reflect on the numerous articles written, posted and blogged the Monday following the Masters in April, all forensically searching for the reasons for Rory McIlroy's disastrous round the previous day. The matter in question was an errant drive on the 10th that triggered one of those most feared golfing moments that has now become part of folklore, adding to others as far back as Sam Snead in the 1947 U.S. Open, Greg Norman in the 1996 Masters, Jean van de Velde in the 1996 Open Championship or Sergio Garcia’s heartbreak at the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills in 2008, losing a three shot lead to Padraig Harrington.
At the Congressional Club on Thursday it was good to see McIlroy on the tee box at the US Open with the same caddie, JP Fitzgerald, the same equipment, no less sponsors and that boyish demeanour that only McIlroy can exude without offence. With gallons of ink consumed in the print media since the Masters, the offers of help have been endless, as have those offering reasons as to what is wrong with McIlroy’s game - and a lengthy list of potential other solutions.
For “Weemac” himself, it was all more much low key and he flew out of Georgia quietly travelling with the Masters Champion, Charl Schwarzel, alongside him for a 22 hour flight to Kuala Lumpur, fulfilling a commitment at the Maybank Malaysian Open. After some rest, there was time spent with Dave Stockton on his putting, a trip to the Champions League final at Wembley and also a number of tournaments, all played as normal. Indeed he said it best himself in his pre-US Open press conference, “I’ve learned over the past few months you can’t take a lot of notice from what other people say. You have to go out and do it yourself.
In the build up to this week there were signs that this could be a good week for him, as even Rory noticed the support and empathy about as he finalised his preparations, which were interrupted for a few days when he visited Haiti. The 22-year was there in his role as UNICEF ambassador, and saw first hand the challenges that still exist 18 months after an earthquake shook the most destitute nation outside the African continent. Undoubtedly adding greater context for Rory’s Masters Sunday experience.
"I just felt a little tentative throughout the whole day," he said. "I wasn't quite as free-flowing as it was the first few days."
"That's all you can do. It's not the end of the world," he said. "You analyse it, you pick things from it what you think you could have done better. And when you get yourself into that position again, you try and put those things that you want to do better into practice."
In many ways, Rory arrived at the Bethesda course with the pressure on his country man GMAC, who as the defending champion had to return the trophy he has carted around the world for the past year. McDowell also returns to the event where his rollercoaster season started and deals with the other demands entailed in being the first European winner in 40 years – and the defending champion. All at a time when he has failed to establish rhythm to his game the season, which saw a missed cut at the Masters, and a round of 81 at the Wales Open.
Against that backdrop McIlroy would have been delighted to slip into the Congressional Country Club under the radar, and able to focus on his own preparations unhindered. So far the plan is the working for the Hollywood man, even if some is ink being spilled recalling McIlroy’s second day St Andrews last July where an opening 63 at the Open Championship, was followed on the Friday with a second round 80. Or similar comparisons with three rounds at Augusta, which ended up becoming that now often cited Sunday collapse.
A tag which the last winner of the US Open at the Congressional, Ernie Els believes will be lost sooner, rather than later.
"I'm probably the best guy to ask for advice because I've done so many things in my career where I didn't quite close a lot of events.
"Rory made some mistakes at Augusta and, hopefully, he's learned from it and didn't get too despondent about it.
Els could be right as the US Open in 1962 at Oakmont Country Club in Western Pennsylvania a 22-year-old rookie with no wins in 17 professional starts reached the playoff against Arnold Palmer, who that week was both reigning Masters and Open Champion. In beating Palmer in the play-off, Jack Nicklaus finally made the breakthrough and that victory kick-started the Golden Bear era of eighteen major titles. Which is still a benchmark to this very day.
Els said it the best in his advice to McIlroy.
"If he keeps his head up, I think he's going to win a lot of Majors."
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