One of the many compelling storylines at the 2009 Masters is the debut appearance of golf’s “next big thing”, Rory McIlroy. A few days back, our friends over at BetOnline contributed an article suggesting betting tips for the 2009 Masters. In the article, they discussed the possibility of McIlroy being a solid choice to win, with his odds sitting at +3300. This was my first introduction to Rory McIlroy.

(Rory McIlroy photo from Masters press conference courtesy of RoryMcIlroy.com.)

Now, in the interests of full disclosure, you should know that I am not a “golf fan”, per se. I am one of the many who come out of the woodwork four weekends a year to hang on every Thursday-Sunday report from the Majors. And when Tiger wasn’t playing, I didn’t really care all that much even about the majors. But when Tiger Woods is playing major championship golf, I get sucked in. We all know that he is must-see TV for golf fanatics, casual golf fans, and even non-golf fans alike.

So what is it about this kid Rory McIlroy (who tees off at 2:03 on Thursday) that has everyone saying he could be the next Tiger?

Rory McIlroy Bio

Here is some quick background information about Rory McIlroy:

• Rory McIlroy was born May 4, 1989 in Holywood, Northern Ireland (yes, only one “l” in Holywood).
• He stands 5’11 and 160 pounds.
• He will be just 19 when he steps into the teebox Thursday for his first Masters.
• McIlroy maintains his own blog at RoryMcIlroy.com.
• Member of Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup team that won in 2004.
• Youngest ever winner of both West of Ireland Championship and Irish Close Championship.
• In 2005, Rory McIlroy shot a course record 61 at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
• In 2006, he won European Amateur Championship.
• On February 6, 2007 he sat atop the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
• McIlroy participated in 2007 British Open at Carnoustie, and sat three shots off the lead after firing a bogey-free 68 in the opening round. He ended up making the cut and finished +5 for the championship, the best finish for an amateur.
• He took part in British Masters just days after turning 16 and made the cut as an amateur at the 2007 Dubai Desert Classic.
• Rory McIlroy turned pro on September 19, 2007
• McIlroy entered the Top 200 of the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time on January 27, 2008.
• With four top-20 finishes on the U.S. tour in 2009, and two top-5 finishes on the European tour, Rory McIlroy currently sits at #17 on the Official World Golf Rankings.

For a 19-year old kid, I’d say that’s pretty impressive. Even more impressive are some of the quotes from his peers, who are obviously very impressed with the young Irishman. Consider these quotes about Rory McIlroy, excerpted from an ESPN.com article by Jason Sobel:

“He’s the real deal. He’s a very impressive golfer. It’s feasible that he’s going to be top 2 or 3 in the world within a year. I mean, he’s that good. … The more he plays, the more different sorts of golf courses he plays, he’s just going to add more and more dimensions to his game. This will be the worst ranking he’s got for the next 10 years, what it is now; it’s only going to go up because he’s very impressive.”

~Geoff Ogilvy on Rory McIlroy

“He hits it high, he hits it long, he putts well, and he’s got a good head on his shoulders. That’s a nice, round mix to have to be out here playing professional golf, so he’s going to have a very exciting couple of years. He’s going to be heading in one direction, and that’s up.”

~Ian Poulter on Rory McIlroy

“Rory’s going to be a major factor in professional golf. I think you are probably looking at the next world No. 1 in him. Winning in Dubai got that little monkey off his back and he’s got a lot of confidence going now. Rory’s hungry, as we say. He has a lot going for him.”

~Ernie Els on Rory McIlroy

And how about the current King of Golf, Tiger? Well, he’s pretty impressed too:

“There’s no doubt, the guy’s a talent,” says Woods, who has yet to compete in the same pairing as McIlroy but congratulated him after McIlroy won in Dubai. “We can all see it: The way he hits the golf ball, the way he putts, the way he can chip, get up-and-down. He has the composure. He has all of the components to be the best player in the world, there’s no doubt. It’s just a matter of time and experience, and then basically gaining that experience in big events. That takes time, and I mean, geez, he’s only 19. Just give him some time, and I’m sure he’ll be there.

According to a recent article about Rory McIlroy by Michael Bamberger at Golf.com, part of McIlroy’s success is an unteachable aspect of his swing that allows him to generate tremendous thrust and explains why he is one of the longest hitters in the game, despite his diminutive frame. Consider him the Tim Lincecum of golf:

A moment before impact his left hip suddenly changes direction and jerks back, clockwise, and then rotates again, this time even more powerfully than the first. It’s like some mad fusion golf experiment, and McIlroy, wise man, pays it little mind. But that extra thrust explains why McIlroy — 5′ 11″ in cleats and 160 pounds — is one of the longest hitters in the game.

And Rory McIlroy is not alone; there are a bevy of talented young players who appear poised to challenge the thrones of Tiger, Phil, et al, moving forward.

Danny Lee will be participating in this year’s Masters, fresh off breaking Tiger Woods’ record as the youngest winner of the U.S. Amateur. And the kid obviously has moxie. According to the Sobel article linked above, when told that his U.S. Amateur victory may result in a pairing with Woods at next year’s U.S. Open, Lee said, “I’m going to beat him.” And while his bravado may seem a bit ridiculous at such a young age, haven’t we all been waiting for someone to legitimately challenge Tiger — both in ability and attitude? Who knows if Danny Lee can do it, but at least it looks as if he’ll make it entertaining.

Another young golfer set to tee off in this year’s Masters is Ryo Ishikawa from Japan. To put his prodigy-like rise to prominence into perspective, Ishikawa won the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup — at age 15. He will be just 17 when he tees it up in Augusta later today.

So while the major storylines at this year’s Masters will be the expected triumphant return of Tiger Woods and the hope that he and Phil Mickelson can stage some mano-a-mano Sunday drama, the performance of these young talents will also be interesting to watch. We often hear about the young kids on Thursday and Friday, but rarely do they have staying power into the weekend. What appears different about Rory McIlroy, plus Lee and Ishikawa, is that not only do people look at them as the future stars of golf, but many people seem to think it would not be that far fetched for them to be competitive as soon as this weekend.

Either way, Rory McIlroy, Danny Lee, and Ryo Ishikawa are three guys to keep your eyes on. We’ve been waiting for guys like Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen, Sergie Garcia, etc., etc., to step up and become true rivals to Tiger Woods. Perhaps one or two true rivals to Tiger will emerge; they just may not be from his current class of peers, who often seem more intimidated by Tiger than challenged by him.

No, perhaps the generation behind Tiger, the kids who grew up idolizing him and watching his every move, will ultimately be the players who step up and provide some competition to challenge Tiger’s dominance as he enters the second stage of his professional career.

Who knows. We’ve seen phenoms come and go in golf. This weekend, we’ll get at least a little taste of whether or not Rory McIlroy and his precocious mates are true Tiger-like phenoms. Don’t expect them to be atop the leaderboard down the stretch on Sunday (expect Tiger to be, though), but one or all three of them could announce their presence in a big way by making the cut and proving that there is substance behind all the hype.

(Photo of Rory McIlroy during Masters practice round courtesy of RoryMcIlroy.com)

Resources:

Rory McIlroy Profile — (Wikipedia)

Rory McIlroy Official Website — (RoryMcIlroy.com)

Rory McIlroy player page — (PGATour.com)

Rory McIlroy player page — (OfficialWorldGolfRanking.com)

Teens taking golf by storm in 2009 — (Jason Sobel, ESPN.com)

Rory McIlroy has the game, charisma to be golf’s next star — (Michael Bamberger, Golf.com)