Tiger Tips a 'Roar' of a Different Kind - Hollywood's Rory McIlroy

It isn't all that often an invitation by one of thechasing Nick Dougherty for the Alfred Dunhill Links
most esteemed athletes on the planet today,crown, a race he missed out on by the smallest
Tiger Woods, is turned down and especially notof margins - he finished third, three shots behind
by a youngster clearly damp behind the ears!the winner. His performance witnessed him
Rory McIlroy got the royal nod from Tiger tobecoming the youngest affiliate member in the
contest the 2007 Target World Challenge butlong and illustrious history of the European Tour to
declined as the dates clashed with the Europeanearn a coveted card!
Open!By the 2008 season he had already gate-crashed
His feisty, independent roar didn't damper Woods'the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking and
perception of the precociously talented youngit wasn't too long before he had his first taste of
man - if anything it seemed to raise theextreme golf in a playoff. He went head-to-head
admiration factor even further and let's face it ifwith Jean-Francois Lucquin at the European
you've been acknowledged by the modern geniusMasters in Switzerland but frayed nerves and the
of the game, then you've clearly made it in worldenormous weight of title expectation proved a
golf.bridge too far for the young man and he fluffed
Junior Ryder Cup manit!
McIlroy burst onto the scene as a gangly 15 yearHe was undoubtedly consoled by the fact that he
old when he was included into the junior Ryderended his first season as a pro in the top 100 of
Cup team, a team that conquered their traditionalthe OWGR and 36th on the European Tour Order
American rivals with suitable aplomb. A brace ofof Merit!
years later, he had successive wins at both theUntold brilliance so far in 2009
West of Ireland Championship and the Irish CloseRory McIlroy kicked off his 2009 campaign with
Championship tucked well under his belt and heuntold brilliance - he finished second at the Hong
startled his game elders by setting a crisp courseKong Open, a result that sent him rocketing up
record of 61 at the Royal Portrush Golf Club!the ranking ladder, way into the top 50. He is now
However, what arguably got the press box all inthe youngest- ever golfer to have achieved this
flurry was his remarkable first round effort at theadmirable exploit. He tied 3rd at the South African
Open Championship in Carnoustie in 2007. Still anOpen and in the depths of the unforgiving Desert
amateur, the leprechaun-like adolescent shot a 3,he chalked up his inaugural European Tour win,
under par 68, leaving him tied third for the roundthe elite Dubai Desert classic, a victory that
but the biggest accolade was undoubtedly theprompted an invite to the pinnacle of PGA golf,
fact that he was the only gunslinger to avoid thethe US Masters at Augusta in April!
bogey-man on day one!McIlroy is on the roll of his life and with a quarter
McIlroy couldn't keep up the tempo at his maidenfinal berth at the WGC-Accenture Matchplay and
grand slam and faltered a tad but the young manthe incomparable Tiger Woods hovering in his
recorded an impressive finish - T42 - and wentcorner, there is little doubt that the young
on to claim the silver medal for the most prolificIrishman will bag a big one and soon. Bookmakers
amateur of the event. Not too shabby for aare already offering odds on this gifted young
teenager!man emulating his countryman, Padraig Harrington,
Youngest ever to earn a tour cardby snaffling up a major or two in the next few
The dedicated youngster turned pro inmonths. Got a few bob lying around?
September 2007 and a month later he was