By Steve Keating
CARMEL, Indiana, Sept 6 (Reuters) – First there was Tiger
Woods and Ernie (Els), then there was Tiger and Sergio (Garcia)
and Tiger and Phil (Mickelson).
Now it is Tiger and Rory (McIlroy) and it shows every of
sign of becoming one of golf’s great all-time rivalries as the
young Northern Irishman and veteran American went toe-to-toe at
the BMW Championship on Thursday.
After carding birdies on their opening holes, it was clear
the massive gallery was in for a special treat on a sweltering
Thursday at Crooked Stick Golf Club as Woods and McIlroy
showcased their considerable talents.
While the third stop of the FedExCup playoff series features
an elite field of 70 golfers, the first round quickly turned
into a two-man show with Woods and McIlroy whipping the crowd
into a frenzy with a display of quality shot-making.
Some of Woods’ rivalries over the years have been
manufactured but his rivalry with McIlroy has been allowed to
develop naturally, blossoming into a battle of the generations.
Now aged 36, Woods is staring at the downside of a brilliant
career. At 23, McIlroy’s star is on the rise, the richly gifted
heir to Woods’ throne.
“As Jack (Nicklaus) said numerous times, it was nice to be
part of the cross-generational conversations we had with Gary
(Player) and Arnold (Palmer) really,” said Woods. “He was kind
of on his way out but he was part of the (Tom) Watson and (Tom)
Weiskopf and (Lee) Trevino and all those guys.
“It was nice to be a part of it, be in it for over 20 years.
Continued…
