Date: 12 May 2005
Subject: McIlroy is
still a super talent says McGrane
Brian Keogh
Damien McGrane watched Rory McIlroy crash to a a horrible 82 in the British
Masters and revealed: I am still impressed.
The Meath man saw enough quality golf from the 16 year old Holywood ace to
believe he can still be a star.
McGrane said: “Rory is fabulously talented. It is a breath of fresh air to see
somebody as young and talented and enthusiastic. He is a superb player and can
hit shots that I can’t hit.
“He didn’t have his best day but he showed his class out there. Golf is a funny
game and tomorrow will be another day for Rory.”
After carding four birdies, five bogeys, three doubles and a triple bogey, it
was McIlroy’s worst round in years.
He groaned: “I just kept on making stupid mistakes. But it is an experience and
a learning curve and I will learn a lot from it.
“I had three doubles and a triple out there. If you take those out of the
equation - nine shots - one over wouldn't have been too bad.
“I just had trouble with a few bunkers out there and it never seemed to run down
into the middle of them. I was always in an awkward lie for some reason
“It certainly wasn’t easy conditions and some of the pins were really tough as
well. Hopefully I can shoot something better than that tomorrow.”
At the tender age of just 16, he was bidding to show the world his prodigious
talent.
But despite making birdies at all four par fives - a feat that not even big
hitting Argentinean Angel Cabrera could match - McIlroy still finished the day
on ten over par.
On a day of high winds and soaring scores, the slightly built teenager regularly
outdrove playing partners McGrane and Richard Finch and played some superb irons
shots to the Forest of Arden’s well protected greens.
But the two pros gave the youngster a lesson in how to keep a big number off
your card.
An out of sorts McGrane struggled round in level par 72 while Italian Open
runner up Finch still carded a two under par 70 despite three putting twice.
Starting on the back nine, McIlroy parred the first two holes before making his
first birdie at the 547 yard par five 12th.
Watched by his parents and at least a dozen member of Holywood, he hit a seven
iron to the front of the green, left his 60 foot eagle putt ten feet short and
holed out for a four.
But he immediately dropped a shot at the tough 13th when he was short and right
with his approach and failed to pitch close.
Another shot went at the 479 yard 14th, where he drove into a fairway bunker and
three putted from 30 feet after hitting a rocket-like long iron to the centre of
the green.
A chip and putt par at the par three 15th gave him a breather, but he had his
first disaster a the 431 yard 16th.
After clipping a tree with his drive, his approach from heavy rough came up
short in a water hazard and after thinning his pitch over the green he did well
to make a double bogey six.
He bounced back with a two putt birdie at the par five 17th but bogeyed the par
three 18th after finding sand just right of the green to be out in three over
par.
But the back nine was a disaster for the youngster as he three putted the first
after a pulling his drive, hacking out sideways and finding sand with his
approach.
He bogeyed the second, birdied the par five third with a pitch and putt but
doubled the fourth to go to seven over.
After following a bogey at the short fifth with a birdie the par five seventh,
he his hopes of breaking 80 were dashed by a triple bogey at the 166-yard
eighth.
This time his tee shot finished in front of a bush and after catching it with
his recovery and completely missing the ball, McIlroy hacked out, chipped on and
two putted for his six.
He bunkered his approach at the ninth as well, but this time he splashed out to
three feet and holed the putt for par
After five and a half hours on the course, McIlroy was understandably frustrated
by his performance.
He said: “ There were a few positives I suppose. I birdied all the par fives so
if it was a course of just par fives I would have done pretty well.
“I felt okay when I was one under after three holes but I need to improve my
short game to match these guys.
“Pros can turn fives into fours. If I had got up an down a few more times today
it would have been a respectable score.
“At the ninth I made a good sand save but too many times it was going ten feet
by and I didn't make the putt. But I suppose the scoring is pretty high anyway
today.”
McIlroy confirmed that his goal is to make the Great Britain and Ireland Walker
Cup side for the matches in Chicago in August.
He added: “The Walker Cup is my goal. If I make the Walker Cup I’ll go to the
tour school as an amateur and see how I get on.
“But I haven't got my mind made up about turning professional. I still have
plenty of options.”
Brian Keogh
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