Why golfing genius Rory McIlroy is no wannabe

As the nation, even the world, watched the reunion of the Spice Girls, a 23-year-old Briton was completing a sporting achievement which perhaps dwarfed anything accomplished by team GB over the past glorious fortnight.

Rory McIlroy won his second major at a moment in sporting history when no-one from his homeland was paying attention. But the Northern Irish golfer now seems destined for a degree of greatness matched by a sporting handful.

There are good sportsmen and women; there are great sportsmen and women. And then there are freaks, whose performance is just beyond the normal level of excellence.

Usain Bolt is an obvious example, a man who wins multiple golds slowing down at the end. Sir Don Bradman’s batting average remains nearly 40 runs clear of his nearest rival. Rory McIlroy is nowhere near this pinnacle. Yet. And he is unquestionably on that trajectory.

Stunning margins

Last night he won his second major at an age younger than Tiger Woods. Two other double major winners were younger though – Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros.

But McIlroy is winning his majors by stunning margins. At Kiawah Island he won the US PGA by a record eight shots. He won his US Open by an identical margin.

Majors are normally won in agony. On the final day the pressure erodes rhythm and confidence, with the victor limping home. At the British Open Ernie Els finished his round thinking he had little chance – only for the leader Adam Scott to implode and gift him the claret jug.

Obliterating rivals

But McIlroy, when he wins, simply obliterates his rivals. Two other players have done this before. Jack Nicklaus, the previous holder of the winning US PGA margin. He won 18 majors – the record. And Tiger Woods, who has won 14 majors.

Both used to make the final day of major more like a procession than a desperate mass contest for the finishing line.

So McIlroy looks to be as good as Woods and Nicklaus. If he delivers on that promise, he will contest to be the greatest sportsman ever to come from these islands. Forget the Spice Girls. In McIlroy we have a genius who is no wannabe.