PGA Championship 2012: Rory McIlroy Proves He's Real Threat at Majors Record

Rory McIlroy didn't just win his second major Sunday at the 94th PGA Championship; he made it clear that he is prepared to gun for the title as the greatest golfer ever.

The path to that crown runs directly through major titles, and Rory is in a great shape in that regard—although he has a long way to go.

All golf fans have grown accustomed to these criteria—Tiger Woods has given us a crash course. His chase of Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major wins has been well documented.

Woods has been stuck on 14 for four full years now. I'm not ready to close the book on Tiger's quest for this record, but I am ready to open a new book for McIlroy. I'll let the PGA put his early accomplishments in quick and accessible perspective: 

"

Rory McIlroy is 23 years, 3 months old. When Tiger Woods won his 2nd major ('99 PGA), he was 23 years, 7 months old. (via @jrayespngolf)

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

Jack Nicklaus also won the PGA at 23, but that was his third win in a major. The three have set out on remarkably similar paths to this point, but those paths quickly begin to diverge. 

Tiger Woods took his game into the stratosphere the season (2000) following his second major win. He won the last three majors of that season and completed the Tiger slam with a win in the Masters in 2001. 

Jack Nicklaus did not win a major the following year. 

Rory isn't likely to win three majors next year, but the arc of Jack's career proves that doing so isn't necessary for him to claim 18 major victories. Rory has proven that he's capable already. 

At the tender age of 23, McIlroy already has won as many or more majors than all but 43 golfers in the history of the sport, and he has won his two majors by wide margins. In fact, he is just the fourth player to win at least two majors by eight or more strokes.  

This points to a bright, trophy-filled future, and so do the following things. 

When Rory is on, there isn't another golfer on the planet that can beat him. He has a fluid swing that puts more stress on his hips than his back—which is going to help him as he ages.

In other words, Rory McIlroy is the greatest thing going in golf, and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

And maybe not until he has more than 18 majors to call his own.