When all is said and done, there is usually more said than done. I have been watching the canonization of the latest golf phenom, Rory McIlroy, as the new golem to which all who play or watch golf must now bow down. It's funning how things work: just when golf was in need of a massive transfusion of talent--and money draw--a new face of big money golf has risen from the ashes.
What is little known is just how much Tiger transformed the game of golf. Financially. When Tiger joined the tour only two touring PGA professionals made more thant $1million annually. By the time he left the tour for various reasons (marriage, sex rehab, health) there were over 30 PGA golf professionals making more than $1million annually. Tour revenues surged as more eyes watched Tiger's golf feats. Television revenues also spiked. There was more money for pros and there was more money for charities who benefit mightily from these golf tournaments. Tiger was the money driver of the pro circuit worldwide. No one, not even his wife's divorce attorney, can take that away from him. That he fell swiftly to the sins of the flesh is understandable. We created a god. And he had feet of clay.
And now for Rory. You couldn't make up a story better than his. From Northern Ireland where pitching was all too recently related to bombs. Where sectarian violence makes the Africa spring offensive look tame. Out of this came a young golfer with working class looks who can hit a golf ball with such grace that he is already being compared to the greatest in the game.
I do not mean to be cynical. Well, maybe I do. But golf needs Rory as much as Rory needs golf. I am almost certain that he will become associated with Nike and sell shaving blades though he looks too young to shave. In sports nothing succeeds like excess. Building a hero is a full time job for the flacks and tearing down a hero is also a full time job for the same people who built him up.
What can we learn from Tiger? Everything else aside, I witnessed an impossible 4 iron shot out of the sand at the Canadian open that flew straight to the cup. The putt that almost didn't and then did go in. Tiger gave as good as he got. However, Tiger was the product of a career that started on the Ed Sullivan show. Like Mozart, he was a child prodigy. Like Mozart he came to an untimely end with very few mourners. I have no doubt that Tiger, with the PGA now off his back, will retire to count his money. He's earned it. Tiger was, as most people are, a product of his times. He emerged when the rest of the field was fairly mediocre.
We may yet have a few matches between the new king and the old. One of their last meetings ended up in a loss by Tiger to Rory. A portence of things to come. Rory aside I can't think of another golfer with Tiger's creativity. However there is a new game in town. Golfers whose names Tiger had never heard of are now dominating the game. Most of the them are European--much to the chagrin of the US sports commentators. There is a lot less fanfare. A lot less characters such as John Daley--and a good thing too.
It will be interesting to see how Rory deals with his newfound fame--and wealth. While he already is a high profile golfer--a wunderking--he will have to deal, now, with wealth and exposure. The PGA anointed him yesterday. Today its payback time. There will now be demands on his time that will make playing golf look like a part time job. To his credit he seems to be taking to the new role well. He seems well grounded and while Tiger was always polite to the press (at least when it came to golf) he seemed personally remote. Rory seems "out there". But that's today. Let's see him when he is asked the 100th inane question. Let's see him deal with the paperazzi. Only time will tell.
All said, it's nice to see that a young man from working class Ireland prevail and almost lapped the field. The last "working class" champion was Arnie Palmer--and he didn't do too badly.
Bernie
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