There has perhaps never been a time when the phrase ‘youth over experience’ has been more relevant in golf than last weekend.
Rory McIlroy, two days shy of his 21st birthday, produced a stunning victory at the Quail Hollow Championship on the US PGA Tour, Alvaro Quiros, 27, triumphed at the Open de España on The European Tour and teenager Ryo Ishikawa shot a sensational final round 58 - the lowest score recorded on any major tour - to win the Japan Tour’s The Crowns.
Each one saw off respective fields containing vastly more experience, leaving the golfing world in awe at the staggering talent they already possess. This is the next generation of players, and the future of golf has probably never looked so bright.
Ironically, it seems as though McIlroy has been around for years. It is easy to forget that he is only just out of his teens because he has already had so much success in the game, winning the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic and pushing Lee Westwood all the way last season for the Race to Dubai title.
On Sunday the Northern Irishman became the youngest winner on the US PGA Tour since Tiger Woods in 1996, carding a sublime ten under par 62 in the final round to sweep aside Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. The victory moved him back into the top ten in the Official World Golf Ranking, to Number Nine, although McIlroy is trying not to pay too much attention to his position.
“Sometimes you need to sit back and say ‘look, you're only 20, 21 years old and you're doing pretty well’ and just put things in perspective a little bit,” he said. “I've still got a long way to go. Great young players like Camilo (Villegas) and AK (Anthony Kim) have won three times on the PGA Tour, and this is my first, so hopefully I'll be able to join them soon. I just want to concentrate on getting a few more wins and learn as much as I can at the Majors.
“Ever since I was ten or 11 I wanted to be a professional golfer and it's been a crazy ride to this point. I'm just delighted to get here and get my first win of the year and to do it on a golf course like this is an amazing feeling. This has been a great day, and hopefully I'll look forward to a few more.”
At 18, Ishikawa is already taking the golf world by storm with eight professional wins – the first of which was when he was just 15 years old. McIlroy said of the Japanese’s latest feat: “It's a very impressive round. Every time I've played with him, he's been great. He's a great player and with me winning today as well, it looks good for the future."
McIlroy is flattered by comparisons drawn with Woods, who won his first Major Championship at 21, and admits that the American has been an inspiration to many other up and coming players.
“I think I speak on behalf of all the early 20-somethings out here,” he said. “Tiger was the guy that we all looked up to and the guy that we followed and the guy that we turned on our TV and the guy that we went out to practise so hard.
“I think he's been the reason that the likes of Ryo, myself, AK, Danny Lee, all the younger guys, have flourished at such an early age. Tiger set the benchmark so high. We want to achieve that. Even if we don't quite get to that level, it's still pretty good. He's been a big reason for this influence of so many younger players.”
Quiros may be a few years older than McIlroy and Ishikawa but the fact he notched his fourth European Tour win on Sunday is impressive for a player aged 27. The Spaniard moves up to 31st in the world and has a very good chance of making the European Team for this year’s Ryder Cup.
In addition to this triumphant trio, there are numerous other young players challenging for honours and breaking through with their burgeoning talent. Italian Matteo Manassero turned professional this morning and, at just 17 , has already shown his huge potential on the world stage.
The man Quiros beat in a play-off for the title in Seville, James Morrison, is only 25 yet has already had four top ten finishes this season, including a win at the Madeira Islands Open – BPI Portugal. And Charl Schwartzel, currently second in The Race to Dubai with two wins already this season, is still only 26.
If all these players are representative of the next generation, we can rest assured knowing the future of the game will be as exciting as it’s ever been.
