quentinSenior Golfers Say McIlroy Needs To Adapt Game
July 21st 2011 17:57
Some of golf's elder statemen said that Rory McIlroy needed to adapt his game to links golf. After winning last month at the U.S. Open by eight shots, McIlroy struggled last week at the British Open by having closing rounds of 74 and 73 and finished tied for 25th. He was disillusional about the harsh nature of links golf. After the final round, McIlroy said, “outcome is predicted so much by the weather. There is no point in changing your game for one week a year.” Yesterday, Ian Woosen, the 1991 Masters champion, and three time major winner, Nick Price, said McIlroy needs to adapt his game to links conditions. Woosen added, “He's only a young kid, he's going to say the wrong things every now and then and he's probably now thinking, 'What the hell have I said?' Of course, to be a true golfer, you have to be able to play around the world, play in different kind of golf conditions. Tiger Woods adapted, Jack Nicklaus adapted, Arnold Palmer adapted. They all adapted. He needs to adapt. It's his age, but he's got the ability to do whatever he wants to do.” Price was surprised by McIlroy views towards adapting to links golf. He said that McIlroy grew up playing so much links golf in Northern Ireland.
Price said, “He has to get his mindset right for that—he's going to have 20 or 30 Open Championships in his career and he doesn't want to have that attitude.” “He'd better get out there and start liking those course and figure out a way to play. If he's a good enough player, he will do that.” Tom Watson, a five time winner of the British Open, said he knows what McIlroy is going through. Watson said of McIlroy, “Honestly, he sounded like I did when I was his age playing links golf. I did not like links golf. I did not like the bounces. I did not the firmness of the greens, and the wind so much, and I didn't like the uncertainty. When I hit a shot the way I thought it should go, it should stop. In American golf, it stops where you want it. He'll change. He'll get to a point where he'll understand the difficulties in the way that you have to manage yourself on links golf courses.” Watson was asked, “how many years it took him to come round to links golf, he said: Four. It just so happened I won two of them.” Woosnam said he believes McIlroy will change his attitude. He also said, “I think it's difficult for the kid. Everyone is comparing him to Tiger Woods but at the end of the day he's only won three tournaments.”
Price said, “He has to get his mindset right for that—he's going to have 20 or 30 Open Championships in his career and he doesn't want to have that attitude.” “He'd better get out there and start liking those course and figure out a way to play. If he's a good enough player, he will do that.” Tom Watson, a five time winner of the British Open, said he knows what McIlroy is going through. Watson said of McIlroy, “Honestly, he sounded like I did when I was his age playing links golf. I did not like links golf. I did not like the bounces. I did not the firmness of the greens, and the wind so much, and I didn't like the uncertainty. When I hit a shot the way I thought it should go, it should stop. In American golf, it stops where you want it. He'll change. He'll get to a point where he'll understand the difficulties in the way that you have to manage yourself on links golf courses.” Watson was asked, “how many years it took him to come round to links golf, he said: Four. It just so happened I won two of them.” Woosnam said he believes McIlroy will change his attitude. He also said, “I think it's difficult for the kid. Everyone is comparing him to Tiger Woods but at the end of the day he's only won three tournaments.”
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