Rory McIlroy: Dominant Major Win Saves Mediocre Season

One major win is all it takes. 

Rory McIlroy, after bursting onto the scene in 2011, was having a fairly mediocre 2012 season. The only way he could save it was to put forth, at the very least, a solid performance at the PGA Championship. 

I think it's safe to say he did that (via PGA Tour's official Twitter):

"

With that win, Rory regains World No. 1 and also breaks Jack Nicklaus' record for largest margin of victory at a @pgachampionship. #pgatour

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 12, 2012"

McIlroy's season has been the definition of roller coaster. 

He started off with three straight Top-Three finishes when he finished second at the Accenture Match Play Championship, first at the Honda Classic and third at the Cadillac Championship.

It appeared that the 23-year-old Brit was well on his way to improving on a 2011 season that saw him win the U.S. Open and rack up seven Top-25 finishes.

However, the wheels then fell off. 

McIlroy finished 40th at the Masters, was cut at the Players (commonly referred to as the fifth major), cut at the Memorial, cut at the U.S. Open and tied for 60th at the Open Championship. 

McIlroy mixed in some Top-10 finishes at the smaller tourneys, but when the most was on the line, he was at his very worst. That's not how the "next Tiger" is supposed to handle himself. 

Having said that, as the man who McIlroy is so often compared to would argue, none of that matters anymore (via PGA Tour's official Twitter):

"

Rory graded his season earlier this week as a "B". What would he call it now? "A+. Like Tiger says, a major makes a great season."

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 13, 2012"

Truer words have never been spoken. Rory's big-stage struggles from earlier this year won't be remembered.

What will be remembered, however, is his domination of Kiawah Island. We will remember his three rounds of five-under or better, his two rounds of bogey-free play and his eight-stroke victory for the largest ever margin of victory at the major. 

McIlroy took the golf record book on Sunday, and said "screw you, record book. I'm going to re-write you." It was a performance of epic proportions, and it saves a season that—at least to the No. 1 player in the world—was looking like a disappointment.

That's the way it should be. Golfers play the game to win majors, and most of them would gladly trade whatever varying successful season they've put together for a major victory.

Or, if you're Rory McIlroy, you can just obliterate the competition and build the hype up yet again for 2013. 

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