|
Rory shoots for the stars
 By
David Thorpe
RORY McIlroy is a man used to breaking records. As an amateur golfer
he carried all before him in Britain and Ireland culminating in his being
crowned champion amateur at the British Open last summer.
The 18-year-old from Co. Down has continued his record-breaking ways since
turning professional.
Rory has become the youngest ever player to win his European Tour Card
after winning more than £120,000 in the Dunhill Links Championship
recently.
But the young Portrush golfer has plenty of other targets in his sights.
Not a player lacking in self-confidence he declared this week he wants
to become the youngest player to win on the tour and also the youngest
ever European Ryder Cup player.
He said: “The way I played last week was good but not really above
myself. I think I can perform like that all the time and if I do then
winning a tournament is realistic. The Ryder Cup seems a long way off
right now but I don’t see why I should not aim for that.”
Mcllroy learned to play golf amid the links courses and sandy beaches
of Portrush. His father was a talented amateur player but Rory soon surpassed
him and was driving the ball more than 200 yards at the age of seven.
He progressed swiftly through the amateur ranks, claiming the European
title as a 17-year-old and was soon tipped to make a name for himself
in the professional ranks.
One sign of the esteem in which he is held by the wider golfing community
is that he has joined the prestigious golf agent Andrew Chandler.
Rory is part of a select group — Chandler selects only one new player
a year to join his company and represents Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood.
He recently described McIlroy as a “very very special and rare talent
who can achieve everything there is to achieve in the game”.
When he made the decision to turn professional Rory said that he hoped
to just survive on tour for the first year but now believes that he should
set his sights higher.
He said: “At the Dunhill Championship there were players like Padraig
Harrington and Ernie Els behind me in the field. That is a great feeling
and whatever happens for the rest of the season I have that memory to
look back on.
“I think that proved that I can play with the top players but there
is no use in showing that just one week. I must show that every week,
be competitive in every tournament and start winning thing
s.” |
