One wonders how the conversation went when Andrew “Chubby†Chandler met with Sir Alex Ferguson to find out how the Manchester United guru handles child prodigies. Chandler, agent of Northern Ireland’s boy wonder Rory McIlroy, can be commended for his thoroughness, Ferguson’s replies? We’ll never know, of course, but maybe:
“Don’t let him marry a Spice Girl†or “make sure he never misses a drugs test†or, perhaps, “make sure his Christmas parties never get out of control.â€
Seriously though, this will be a tricky year for McIlroy. At the moment he is full of confidence. Six tournaments into a professional career and the cockiness and invincibility of youth is shining through:
“I’m not afraid of speaking my mind, I know my ability. I have no problem in coming out and saying, ‘I am going to be one of the best golfers in the world in the next five years.’ â€
Comment like these are said without arrogance, rather the self belief that, I can only imagine, comes from being possessed of a sublime talent.
Can confidence be translated to success? Can the potential of the young pretender be transformed into the winning habit of an old master?
British golf certainly hopes so. At the moment McIlroy has the world at his feet:
“The Ryder Cup is not my ultimate goal. I want to be a major contender in five or 10 years and try and win majors and if I can do that, I will achieve my main goal.”
But of course this confidence comes from a golfer ranked outside the world’s top 200. That transition, from wowing all before you as an amateur to the weekly plugging on the tour, is a step that some have found too great.
But look more closely at McIlroy’s quotes and there is a suggestion that for all the grand statements about Ryder Cup’s and majors Rory know that the immediate future is all about consolidation:
“This year I want to get into the world’s top 100 and get into the USPGA Championship and I think at this stage that is a good goal for me. It would be also nice to get into the Volvo Masters at the end of the year. They are achievable goals I think.”
The grandstanding suits the press who can make headlines, that in turn suits the sponsors. Every aspect of a professional golfer’s life is know a game: first impressions are that McIlroy knows how to play it.
In the meantime let’s just sit back and enjoy the new name on the tour. He’ll just be taking “everything in my stride.â€
