BETHESDA, Md. – The manner in which Rory McIlroy won the U.S. Open made comparisons with Tiger Woods inevitable.
Not since Woods’ historic 15-shot win at Pebble Beach in 2000 has anyone crushed the competition at a U.S. Open. McIlroy’s performance was so stunning at Congressional that only four of his 72 holes were worse than par, he broke the scoring record by four shots and finished at an astounding 16-under 268.
Such a score is rare at the other three majors. It’s unfathomable for a U.S. Open.
The buzz around the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland made this feel like the 1997 Masters.
That was a watershed moment in the sport, signaling the arrival of Woods. He brought a breathtaking blend of power and putting, seized control of the tournament on the second day, demoralized Colin Montgomerie in the third round and won by 12 shots with a record score to become the youngest Masters champion.