Rory McIlroy captured his first major golf title in historic fashion, turning the final round of the 111th US Open into a virtual victory lap on his way to an eight-stroke triumph.
The 22-year-old Northern Ireland prodigy fired a two-under par 69 to finish 72 holes on 16-under par 268, becoming the youngest US Open champion in 88 years and sealing a new generation's grip at the forefront of the sport.
Jason Day of Australia was a distant second on 276 with South Korean Yang Yong-Eun, England's Lee Westwood and unheralded Americans Robert Garrigus and Kevin Chappell sharing third on 278.
"To sit here as a 22-year-old major champion, it's a very nice feeling, and I'm sure it will take a little bit of time to sink in," said McIlroy. "It's just fantastic."
Woods versus McIlroy
McIlroy's utter domination sparked comparisons with Woods, although the idea that a 14-time major champion might have been only the warm-up act for McIlroy's magnificence threatened to boggle the mind of the golf world.
The Ulsterman humbled course and rivals this week in a manner mindful of how a 21-year-old Tiger Woods ripped apart Augusta National and overwhelmed the field in the 1997 Masters for the first of his 14 career major triumphs.
Woods missed the US Open with a left knee injury but issued a statement praising the effort by McIlroy.
"Heck of a performance,"said Woods. "Congrats and well done. Enjoy it. This was an impressive performance."
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2011.
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