American Idol

Everyone knows about Rory McIlroy. He's no longer a callow rookie who’s fun to watch, but a seasoned pro whose name will be on that Sunday leaderboard more often than not. He’s big in Europe, he’s big in America. McIlroy’s the sort of guy the fickle American fans can get behind, and believe me, that means a lot if you’re playing the PGA Tour. Just ask Colin Montgomerie.

But do the Americans have their own McIlroy on the rise? Is there a young, exciting player in the States who’s going to carry the flag in future majors and Ryder Cups?

How about Rickie Fowler?

Still a virtual unknown this side of the water, Fowler is fast making a name for himself in the US. The number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008, and twice Walker Cup-player with a 7-1 record, he hit the headlines in 2008, shooting -1 in the first round of the US Open.

He turned pro at the end of last year, and finished T-7^th in his PGA Tour professional debut in October. A week later, he lost to Troy Matteson in a playoff at the Frys.com Open, just his second Tour event as a pro. Last month, Fowler had another opportunity to win in Scottsdale, before finishing second to Hunter Mahan.

To get a feel of what Fowler’s like – you have to see him, you have to hear him. He’s a flashy-dressing, motorbike-jumping, swashbuckling guy, and he brings it all to the golf course. His swing is a homemade thrasher of a swing, terrifyingly fast, but it gets the job done. During that 2^nd place last October, he had an eagle in each round and a hole-in-one.

He doesn’t watch himself for hours on video, he doesn’t over-analyse his game. He just goes out there and plays golf. In interviews he seems cool and collected. Maybe he’s going to need a bit of analysis to improve over the years, and as he matures I’ve no doubt this will come. At the moment though, he’s a breath of fresh air on to the ever less dominant PGA Tour.

How does he compare with McIlroy? Physically speaking, they’re the same height, weight, and Fowler’s just 5 months older. They even have similarly terrible haircuts.

There’s no doubt that McIlroy is the more polished player – he has the classic swing and more professional manner, but there’s more to the comparison when you go deeper. Both rely on their long games a little too much, and need to hole some more putts. Both are ready to take on that big shot when it really counts. Both love the pressure of competing. Despite Fowler’s wilder approach to the game, he’s got a coolness and maturity about him that make you feel he’s here to stay.

Rory McIlroy is a future World No. 1. He’s going to win at least a few majors and heaps of Ryder Cups. Rickie Fowler – we don’t know. He’s still the raw youth that McIlroy was two years ago. He probably doesn’t have the consistency to ever be the best player in the world, but he’s going to compete. I’ve no doubt that he’ll face McIlroy down the stretch of tournaments to come, and he’ll prevail in some of them. They’ll play Ryder Cups against each other, and they’ll share some wins there.

Rickie Fowler is the perfect sportsman for the American fans – he’s young, wild, attractive, and talented. He’ll play to the rowdy crowds, and get pumped up on Sunday afternoons. He’ll miss three cuts running and win the next week out. The sponsors have noticed this and every week he’s a got a new “fashionable” look.

For some time the US Tour has lacked what Europe has in spades – the early 20s players of the next generation. It’s great to see Ernie, Furyk, Mickelson and co. winning, but we also need to see who’s waiting to take over.

Watch Rickie Fowler.

Tiger Owes Us Nothing

Who do we think we are?

Since 1997, (or 1994 if you really know your stuff) Tiger Woods has been one of the premier entertainers on the planet. He may be a golfer first and foremost, but for us, he’s a guy we love to watch do his thing. His exceptional physical talent and terrifying mental powers have made him the greatest athlete of our generation, and he has delivered, time and again, providing us with some of the greatest sporting moments in history.

So where do we get off looking for apologies for his behaviour off the course? How exactly has he let us down? He’s let himself down. He’s let his family down. Maybe he’s let his sponsors down. But us?

It never ceases to amaze me how arrogant the sports-watching couch potatoes can be. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be the first to shout angry and helpful advice at Johnny Sexton when he pushes a kick wide of the posts.

Nowadays, however, viewers seem to feel a sense of ownership over Tiger, Federer, O’Driscoll, and others. By watching Tiger, do you own some of the Tiger brand? If you do, I’d say sell it and live on the proceeds for the rest of your life.

I was upset when I heard the revelations about his private life, because I’m a massive Tiger fan. But did I feel betrayed? Did I demand an apology? I don’t have that high an opinion of myself.

Tiger Woods owes us nothing. People will climb on to higher horses than they’ve ever imagined and tell us that it’s us who have put Tiger where he is – without us he wouldn’t be the star of sport, without the viewers he’d be nothing. So ask yourself this – did Tiger come to the viewers looking to be watched? Or did we go to Tiger, because we were beginning to realise that the man in the red shirt was the most exciting prospects in the history of sport? Did we go to him, following the human instinct to cling to something special and not let go?

In 2005, on the 16th hole at Augusta National, Tiger Woods hit what was, given the circumstances, the greatest golf shot I have ever seen. With Chris DiMarco lying 12 feet away for birdie, Tiger faced a horrendously difficult chip shot, the ball against the collar of the rough, the green sloping every which way. No one who watched that shot live can forget the second the ball spent on the lip of the hole, with the Nike swoosh looking out at us, in the greatest advertisement ever made, before it toppled in to the cup.

So what was your reaction? Was it to nod calmly, and say “Well I’m glad I managed to sort that one out for him”? Or was it like mine – a leap into the air followed by an animal yell, partly in excitement, and partly in pain as I crashed into a table.

Tiger’s success is not a product of our support. It is a product of his diligence, work rate, and drive to be better. It is a product of his parents’ care for him and, perhaps, too much pressure on him. He is a self-made man, and we cannot claim an iota of credit for his fame.

If you claim to be let down by his affairs, answer me this. Where were you when he was being shunned as a young black teenager in his local club? Where were you when his father died?

Even his sponsors, who do have claim to being let down – look at how much money they have pumped into him – they spotted a business opportunity and invested in it. The returns have been staggering. After 15 years of unmitigated success they now have to take some rough with the smooth.

Tiger Woods has not only changed the game for the viewers; he’s changed the game for the professionals. The PGA and European Tours today are stronger for Tiger’s contribution. Pros have to play against a phenomenon – never before has there been so much extra kudos attached to a victory when one man is in the tournament field. If you can play the great man and beat him you’re spomething special. Y.E. Yang became the first man to take a major from Tiger after Woods held the 54-hole lead – that’s not forgotten in a hurry.

Tiger Woods owes us nothing. 20 years ago no one could watch him play. 40 years from now, no one will be able to watch him play. We are the most privileged golfing generation yet – how about we stop moaning, sit back, and enjoy it.

Race to Dubai

Over the last week or so, there's been a lot of talk about the upcoming Race to Dubai, the multi-million Euro 53-week long series coming to the European Tour. The number of tournaments required for a Tour player to retain his rights has been upped from 11 to 12, events have been cut and added, and some of the best from across the pond have started talking about getting in on the action.

Is it a good idea? At first, I must admit I was against it. It sounded too much like the FedEx Cup for me, which simply hasn't worked so far in the States, and I'm not convinced it will ever, to the extent that it improves the Tour. Golf may be about a lot of money these days, but I don't think it should be about €20 million prize funds, or $10 million bonuses.

 However, it will place more focus on the European Tour, and that is definitely a positive. The European Tour has continued to get stronger and stronger over the past years, and is now nothing less than world class. In my opinion, the standard is just as good if not better than the PGA Tour, and it certainly makes guys into more all-round golfers. They play on different and diverse courses, even within the labels of parkland and links. They face weather conditions and temperatures that Boo Weekley's probably never even heard of, let alone played in. The young guys on Tour - Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher, Oliver Fisher, Oliver Wilson, Pablo Larrazabal - don't be surprised if these guys start picking up majors over the next few seasons, and as for Kaymer, he's a potential World No. 1. I know a guy who might have something to say about that though...

There'd be greater focus on the Tour if Phil, Kim, Vijay, and others kept their word and made it over for a few events. It would prove the quality of the European players. Don't be surprised to see some of the above Europeans going head to head with these guys and beating them. 

Robert Allenby is another player who's talked about coming over - I'd love to see that - he's a beautiful player to watch; there are few guys who strike their irons as well as him.

I'm delighted that the number of events has been raised from 11 to 12, including at least 2 in Continental Europe. At the moment, you can play 4 majors, 3 WGCs and only leave the US once, and can make up the rest with a few Irish and Scottish tournaments. The French, Italian, Spanish, and many other Opens are fantastic events on fantastic courses and deserve to be recognized as such. Harrington's 2nd on the Order of Merit - he's played 13 events this year and has only left the US, Ireland, and Britain once. I'm not criticizing him - he's got his own schedule and I respect it absolutely - but it does show that it's possible to gain the benefits of Tour membership and still bypass some great events. Karlsson's a consummate European golfer - he's played 21 events this year, has only come outside the top 20 5 times, and has 11 top 10s, including wins in his last 2 events. He's worked around Europe all year, and he's only a few bob ahead.

If the Race to Dubai brings more exposure to the superb players on the European Tour, and allows them to compete against more of the games top players, then I'll be happy to accept it as a positive step in the life of this wonderful game.