Rory McIlroy's astounding victory in the 2011 US Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, brings to a close one captivating story line while leading beautifully into a host of others, each of which portends to be just as compelling, if not more so.
After choking away the lead on Sunday at the 2011 Masters in historic fashion, the 22-year-old kid from Northern Ireland bounced back with the kind of brilliance seldom, if ever, seen at an Open, becoming one of five players in the 111 years of the US Open play to finish the tournament with all four rounds under par, while setting the all-time scoring record of 268 in 72 holes at the toughest Major of them all, going 16 strokes under par for the tournament as a result.
What About Augusta?
This, after McIlory was hardly the biggest story coming into the week. So much of the chatter around the Beltway was focused on the absence of Tiger Woods, who sat out the Open so as to allow his physical and mental woes more time to heal.
There was tremendous concern that no one would care enough to tune without Woods, no longer the No. 1 player in the world but still easily the biggest draw in the sport, partaking in the competition.
And, frankly, that likely would've been the case had the baby-face McIlroy not gotten off to such a tremendous start...and kept it going...and going. Golf legend Jack Nicklaus, who still holds the record for most Major championships won in a career, told young Rory not to block out the pressure, but welcome it—even apply some of his own!
And he did just that, with greater success than anyone could have imagined.
This time, there would be no collapse for the baby-faced budding star, and no Charl Schwartzel or Y.E. Yang to upend him after an 80 on Sunday.
No demons to haunt McIlroy, to cause him to question his swing, to keep him from barging his way into golf history as one of seven wire-to-wire US Open champions.
No need to worry that Tiger Woods might come bearing down on him on the back nine because, well, Tiger just wasn't there.
No, Rory McIlroy wasn't about to be the next Sergio Garcia, who, in 1999, was thought to be the next big thing in golf after tying for second at the PGA Championship as a rookie on the PGA Tour.
The Next Tiger Woods?
Because, frankly, there is no Tiger Woods to overtake him, no Tiger Woods to crush his dreams, devour his spirits and stomp on his throat as Tiger did so many times, not out of malice but rather competitive spirit.
Even if Woods had been on the course this week, he couldn't have done that to McIlroy, even with sound body and mind.
McIlroy was Tiger this weekend—nearly perfect in every way, unchallenged, self-assured, confidence bordering on cocky.
So it will be written that Rory McIlroy is the youngest US Open champion since Bobby Jones sat atop the leader board in 1923. So it will be told that McIlroy, just a month into his 22nd year of life, became the youngest Major champion since Tiger took the 1997 Masters at 21 years of age.
And the PGA Tour will write that story a thousand times over, because that's the narrative the Tour needs and will need, at least until Tiger is well enough to compete at the highest level, if ever again.
Rory McIlroy will be the Golden Boy of the golf world going forward. With each passing tournament, victory or no, the pressure on his shoulder will build. It will sit hard and heavy, unrelenting. This would never have been the case without Tiger, but with the standard being as tough as it is today, young Rory will have to bear it nonetheless, fairly or unfairly.
The spotlight will turn next to the 140th British Open at Royal St. George's starting on July 14th. There, McIlroy will be that much closer to his native Northern Ireland, the whole world watching his every step all the while.
A New Era in Golf?
McIlroy didn't even get to finish his final round before the talking heads on NBC got around to anointing him the next King of the Links.
He may very well be the next superstar to carry the sport of golf into a new generation of young guns. America's "Golf Boys" may want to take a cue from McIlroy if they're ever to join him atop the heap.
However, let's be careful not to call this kid Tiger just yet. Yes, let's all applaud his efforts, as they were thrilling, if not wholly awe-inspiring.
But for Rory McIlroy to truly be golf's next icon, he'll have to do this again...and again...and again. He'll have to destroy the field again...and again...and again.
Most importantly, he'll have to fail, approach the critics who so loudly ask "What happened?" and question his ability, and answer them with yet another breath-taking performance.
Because, as is so often said, the true measure of a champion is not how one wins, but how one bounces back from defeat.
Which, to McIlroy's credit, he has done, given his previous failure at the Masters. Except now, he'll have to do so under the most intense microscope his sport has.
Until then, let's all thank Rory McIlroy for an inspiring four rounds of golf at the US Open and wish him well heading into the Open Championship next month.
Chloë Sevigny Janet Jackson Georgianna Robertson Reese Witherspoon Jordana Brewster
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