Rory McIlroy wins first major at Congressional

If Rory McIlroy’s inclusion on last year’s most marketable athletes list at number 36 was based on potential, this year’s 15-place climb is based on pedigree: McIlroy is the real deal according to the British media. Yesterday, he carved his way into the record books with an impressive victory at the US open and has since been compared to the likes of Jack Nicklaus. His performance was, without a shadow of a doubt, brilliant, with The Times newspaper describing his success as ‘spectacular.' The Daily Telegraph, however,  reflected their own views on the event by writing ‘that all questions about the legitimacy of Rory McIlroy as a major champion were erased at Congressional with a display that made even the eyes of the great Jack Nicklaus water.’The Times released a statement which displayed Jack Nicklaus lavishing praise on McIlroy who was himself only four months younger than McIlroy when he won the first of his 18 major championships titles at the US Open in 1962. ‘He’s going to have a great career’, Nicklaus said. 'He’s got all the components and a great personality.’


The Sun did a tribute to his success, drawing on information from McDowell and Harrington. McDowell went as far as to say “he’s phenomenal. The way he’s bounced back from Augusta, his maturity level for a 22-year old is incredible.”

And, if this is as the press coverage suggests is the prime of his professional career as a golfer, then he can, like other sporting successes such as Andy Murray discovered, expect to feel the full weight of expectation.