THE GOG BLOG SPEAKS OUT-RORY ON A ROLL

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BY: RORY SPEARS Lead Writer and Assistant Editor.

DSC00402Wannamaker holding DSRory and Wanamaker at valhalla DS I guess it’s pass the Wanamaker day from one Rory to another, no problem. Rory McIlory you earned a second Wanamaker, and did it in classic style. In a PGA that nobody will ever forget anytime soon, McIlroy showed his time is now. That time could last for a while, hopefully it does.

Golf is good hands now with McIlroy being at No.1, and the talent that is filling in behind him in the rankings. Golf fans like rivalries, whether it’s Arnie and Jack, Jack and Tom, Greg and Nick, Davis and Freddie, Tiger and Phil. Now it’s turning into Rory and Rickie, Fowler that is.

Toss in a little Phil, some Sergio, J Rose, and this rivalry thing is starting to cook. This weekend you had a shootout, you had the names and you had record ratings. You had everything but Tiger on the weekend. Now maybe, just maybe the networks are starting to figure out what some people have known for a while. It’s not all about Tiger anymore.

Brian Hewitt of the Global Golf Post and another writer from a major publication both used the same theme. If Woods appearance at Valhalla was anything, they called it a heavyweight fight. They both said it would have been stopped in the first round, Woods had nothing left but gamely struggled to play 36 holes. His highlight was photo-bombing Fowler in the parking lot. Woods played like a fighter who had stayed a few fights too long, hoping for one last win or payday. In Woods case, he got neither.

There is now enough rivalry with the younger players that the new Era is here. If Woods get healthy he might come back and win a tournament next year, not likely to be a major though. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get one more major win, but 18 or 19 now seems out of the question. Jack’s record is safe for years to come.

A bigger question is how many majors will McIlroy win, he now has four. Is one a year out of the question for the next several years. Can Fowler break through is another question, he came close four times in four tries this year, is 2015 a breakthrough year for him. His group of fans will be following every step, many of them youngsters in Rickie like clothes. The youngest generation is now “Followers of Fowler”.

McIlroy really showed something giving up the lead, going down three shots and then rallying back to win. If you didn’t figure that out after Congressional, Kiawah, Royal Liverpool (HoyLake) you know now, that this kid is the real deal.

He is real off the course too, when Golf Channels Brandel Chamblee looked closely into the camera on Sunday night and said, “McIlroy has showed he can be great on and off the golf course.” It was obvious the message he was trying to send. McIlroy’s story on how he treated a young girl fan in a gas station this week in Louisville raced through the internet. It was heart warming.

If there is one sad thing about McIlroy it’s that, he won’t be on our team for the Ryder Cup. He could be a five point player for the Euro’s, and that might be the difference. But a difference is he making, on and off the golf course. His time is here, embrace it golf fans. His types don’t come along very often.

SPEAKING OF THE RYDER CUP..Tom Watson said some interesting things today. He said he wants guys who are playing well right now, then added he would be foolish not to consider Tiger for Team USA.

Well maybe Watson should consider Tiger, for about two seconds before comes to his senses and Just Says NO. Watson has “Nothing to Gain,” and everything, Cup included to lose, by picking Woods. lat six Ryder Cups, USA 1-0 with no Tiger, 0-5 with him. He wasn’t alone, but he did hurt the USA team at Medinah.

The Gog Blog returns later with a recap of the weekend in Wisconsin.

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.