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Prior to the showdown, there was very little attention given to the one-on-one golf matchup that pitted the world’s #1 ranked player against arguably the greatest golfer of all time, who just so happens to be the #2 ranked player in the world.
Rory McIlroy outdueled Tiger Woods in Zhengzhou, China by one stroke in an 18-hole challenge match that harkened back to the days over a century ago when the world’s top players routinely showed off their golfing prowess by taking on any and all comers in one-on-one matches.
The duel was made possible because a loaded Chinese real estate tycoon was willing to put up $3 million to see it happen (interestingly Woods received $2 million, Rory the other million) and was made special not only by the intense, yet friendly competition, but also because both players agreed to be microphoned for the duration which gave us an interesting glimpse into the personalities of both golfers. They traded good-natured barbs with one-another (with the occasional profanity thrown in for good measure).
More interesting than the match itself is the fact that the golf establishment has done a great job creating a relationship between the Rory and Tiger. After years of having only one golf superstar towering above the rest, it now appears that Mcllroy possesses both the game and the personality to rival Tiger both on the course and in the hearts and minds of fans.
Golf has been looking for a great rivalry for years. There was hope that Phil Mickelson would emerge as a challenger to Tiger’s crown, but as great as Lefty has been, he never seemed to rise to the occasion when going toe-to-toe with Tiger.
Now, golf appears to finally have a matchup going forward that will compare favorably with the Palmer-Nicklaus rivalry of yore. There are many parallels here, too. When Nicklaus burst on to the golf scene, Palmer was already established as the top player (perhaps ever at that time) and Jack took the reigns as the heir apparent, while Palmer – 11 years older – did his best to keep pace with his younger rival.
So too is it with Tiger and Rory, as Rory is a fresh faced lad of 23 and Tiger is a still-great-but-past-his-prime veteran at age 36. But their charm and personality along with success in major tournaments have made them both extremely marketable and fan interest in their rivalry is likely to grow.
But in order for the rivalry to truly reach historic proportions, the two are going to need to have a few more showdowns, not in one-on-one challenge competitions, but on a Sunday at a major tournament championship.
Only then will it be able to rise to the level of Federer/Nadal, Magic/Bird, or Yankees/Red Sox in terms of historic sports rivalries.
Author Bio:
Scott McCormick’s biggest rival on the golf course is his wife, followed closely by ponds. He is a golf commentator whose writing appears courtesy of Phoenix Golf Now and Golf Now San Diego. For more of his commentary on see his recent post explaining the World Golf Rankings.
Scott McCormick’s biggest rival on the golf course is his wife, followed closely by ponds. He is a golf commentator whose writing appears courtesy of Phoenix Golf Now and Golf Now San Diego. For more of his commentary on see his recent post explaining the World Golf Rankings.
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