US Open Golf 2011: Rory Mcllroy Looks to Become Golf's Next Big Thing

Rory McIlroy has already etched his name in the lore of professional golf history with his legendary and epically tremendous back-nine meltdown on the final Sunday at the 2011 Masters.   

Now, the 22-year old budding superstar from Northern Ireland is having a record-setting first two rounds at the 2011 US open. 

Mcllroy has been flat out dominate on the links through the first 36 holes—he has a six stroke lead, having shot an amazing 11-under through two rounds in Maryland.

Rory was a ridiculous 10-under after his first 26 holes, good for a new record: the fewest holes to reach 10-under in major championship history.

Even more astounding, Mcllroy was 13-under before pulling his 18th tee shot left, leaving him with a tough shot from the thick rough, which Rory put in the drink near the 18th green. He would later double-bogey to finish his second round at 66.

The talk though the first three rounds at the Masters and the talk through the first two rounds at the US Open is that this youngster is the next the big thing in golf—he hits it a ton, routinely besting three plus football fields (320 yds) off the tee-box, with pinpoint accuracy down the middle of the fairway.

This leads directly to Mcllroy’s short game, which surprisingly may be his strong suit.

Simply put, everyone associated with the PGA is ready to crown Mcllroy the new face of the tour. 

Fans, pundits, and players alike have lauded Mcllroy as the new Tiger Woods. Some have gone as far as to compare Mcllroy’s game to the greatest of all time—the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus.

After letting one major tournament victory slip through his fingers this spring—after leading with nine holes to go—the pressure will be massive if Rory is leading after today’s action.

Mcllroy has done and said all the right things following his collapse at the Master’s—he admitted the nerves and the moment got to him, he said he would learn from the experience and come back stronger, and, to his credit, he has done exactly that.

Mcllroy’s determination, will, and execution have been as close to flawless as you can get—he did not have a bogey through the first 35 holes of play on Thursday and Friday. 

Mcllroy has put together the best first 36 holes in the 111-year history of the US Open.

If Mcllroy is to come close to either Woods or Nicklaus, history says this better be the year he wins a major championship. 

At 22-years old, both Woods and Nicklaus had each already bagged his first major championship.

Neither had let an opportunity like that which Mcllroy had in April slip through their fingers.

In fact, Woods has only lost the lead at a major once, and Mcllroy has already lost two day-three leads in major tournaments.

Make no mistake: Mcllroy needs to win the US Open to put the Master’s meltdown behind him if he is to truly begin a new era in golf. 

Should Mcllroy somehow not keep his emotions and play in check down the stretch and if he blows the large lead he has already built, losing could begin to become his legacy.

If Mcllroy should win the 2011 US Open, it will demonstrate what is great about sports—the overcoming of adversity; the will to win overcoming the nagging doubt; competitive nature besting the effort of one's opponents.

Mcllroy has a chance to best Woods' all-time tournament record for strokes under par.

That would put Rory Mcllroy’s name in the record books for an entirely different reason and perhaps usher in a new alpha dog in men’s professional golf.