"Against the advice of his manager and at least three vastly more experienced players, the 20-year-old officially announced his intention to join the PGA Tour next year."

John Huggan analyzes Rory McIlroy's decision to play a few more PGA Tour events next year and perhaps most refreshing in the story was the revelation that unlike some recent prodigies, his management team was not attempting to direct him toward the most money.

Comments

[Farmingdale]

Were the "vastly more experienced players" also "considerably less talented"? If so, can they objectively give the proper advice?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting Rory is any Tiger Woods, but when he came out a lot of "experienced" players had a lot of "advice", most of which Tiger ignored...all would probably admit, little did they know.

[chico]

Lee Westwood,Darren Clarke and Ernie Els-fair amount of experience and talent there I think.

[court]

Amazing what passes as "analysis" these days.

McIIlroy is 20 years old, ranked 13 in the world, and has won on the European Tour with 14 top 10's this year alone. He finished second on the Order of Merit (or whatever they're calling their money list these days - I alwasys like the sound of the Order of Merit) and second behind a dominating performance by Lee Westwood at Dubai this weekend.

What I don't understand in that free advice from Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood is that they seem to have forgotten what they had to do with their games when they decided to play in the US. They both had to retool their swings and games to get used to the American target golf style of play. They were used to links golf and had to learn to throw the ball higher in the air.

McIlroy is only adding a few extra tournaments on the US PGA Tour to get to the 17 required for PGA status. He says that the Euro Tour will remain his home tour for the time being. Ernie Els kept that kind of schedule every year until he injured his knee, and all he did was get to #3 in the world and was one of the best challengers to Tiger Woods.

His manager's complaint ? That McIlroy wasn't going to have enough 2 week breaks to please the management, but he also said that the kid is just 20 years old, they have plenty of time to find the right balance. 'Nuff said there - hardly a warning at all.

I can understand the Euro Tour wanting thim to play mostly on that tour - he's going to be their biggest draw, but the kid wants to be the best and he needs to get as much experience as he can up against the world's best.

Leave him alone...and remember the value of free advice. Now, if Els advised him to stay off of sailboats..I'd take that advice.

[John Huggan]

amazing what passes for posting these days......
lee westwood hails from worksop, which is a town almost in the centre of england - nowhere near the sea or any links.

[John Huggan]

oh yes, and rory was third in dubai.....apart from that.....

[chico]

Nice one John!
Hard to believe an innaccurate generalisation of things British could come from the other side of the Pond isn't it?!

[AA]

I find this article curious. It is written by a brit yet it rises about the easy way out of hyper criticism and complaining of "one of our own" playing more on the other tour. Sounds like writers beware syndrome similar to what goes on around here with regard to Tiger's camp?

[Tim in Hoylake]

So to clarify, does no one in the US want Rory to play the US tour? If the guy is fun to watch (and he is), would anyone have enough humility to say as much? Put him, AKim and A. N. Other in a group and enjoy.
Or are we all above enjoying the game... $10 says American TV coverage will feature Rory hitting it into the drink or not at all...

[E.P. Richardson]

I hope that if McIlroy has a disappointing year that it isn't "blamed" on his decision to play both tours. Let's not forget that even with his immense talent, it is difficult to win on any tour. You can be very good one year and terrible the next, and sometimes early promise is never fulfilled. I'm glad we will get the chance to see him here in the US, and I hope he plays well.

[Tom]

Rory's playing schedule probably changed more from 2008 to 2009 than it will from 2009 to 2010. He graduated to world-class status and for the first time played the WGCs and the 3 stateside majors. Now he's decided he doesn't need to play in Switzerland and Korea (in consecutive weeks) when he could be playing the Fed-Ex series. So in a way it makes his schedule simpler, not harder. I wish him success.

[Mitch Martin]

@Tim. It's not that folks in the U.S. don't want Rory to play here -- obviously, he's got big-time talent, and we're lucky to have him. I do recall a certain Spanish youngster who not so long ago announced his intent to top the Euro Tour OM and the PGA Tour money list. It didn't work out so well for him. I'm not saying that Rory can't handle the pressure or the time commitment. I hope he can. But I do understand where the inclination is to tell Rory to take it slow. He's got plenty of time to play in the States.

[Scott Warren]

COURT:

Re-tool their swing for the style of play on the US Tour because they are used to links golf?

Have you watched the Euro Tour lately? Not much links golf being played. More often than not it's only the commentators' accents that tell me which tour I'm watching.

[OWGR Fan]

Chico,

Hard to believe at times as well that innaccurate generalization of things American come from the other side of the Atlantic as well. Funny how it works both ways.

[chico]

OWGR-true!

[Farmingdale]

3 majors between them...John Daly has almost that many by himself.