Is there any stopping Rory McIlroy?

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Rahimi & Grote Show 8 min 4 speakers 8 chapters transcribed 5 months ago

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What makes Rory McIlroy's performance at Augusta so remarkable?

Unknown 0:00

That's not a good line.

0:24

How about this? Oh, yes!

Unknown 0:24

The roars of Augusta are live and raw for Rory McIlroy. Rory McIlroy, remarkable. What a finish. The reigning champion. Chasing a different group. Those two went back-to-back here.

Laila Rahimi 0:35

Just an astounding finish. Let's get back to Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Poolside with Laila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, and Mark Groton on 104.3 The Score.

Marshall Harris 0:48

You heard big voice guy Rick Party and also Scott Van Pelt, courtesy of ESPN. We are here in Las Vegas. We are watching the golf tournament right now at Circa Resort and Casino from Stadium Swim.

How did Rory McIlroy achieve a seven under 65?

Marshall Harris 1:01

And we thought that we had a pretty decent discussion on who could possibly win the Masters. Flashing back to about 24 hours ago at this time, Justin Rose had made a nice little showing. He was At the top of the leaderboard at that point. But then Rory McIlroy just goes beast mode. Six birdies over his final seven holes. A seven under 65. I feel like this thing is already over.

Unknown 1:29

Is that good? Six birdies over seven holes? Is that something you strive to do when you're playing golf? Is that what you're saying, Layla? Listen, I understood it when he said it. Fred Couples talked about how he expected Rory McIlroy to win the Masters again because he won it the first time. And there is this idea that this specific tournament, this historic course, the monkey on your back when you're thought of as an excellent golfer, like top of the world golfer, but you haven't won it yet.

What psychological impact does winning the Masters have on Rory McIlroy?

2:07

Mm-hmm.

Unknown 2:07

And now it feels like, and it felt a little bit like this going into the weekend for me. Now that Rory's won it, that monkey is off his back. And now he probably believes he can do anything. He's been nasty with the putter. He's just doing a better job more consistently than everyone else out there and by a wide margin.

Mark Grote 2:30

Right. I mean, that's a good way to put it, too, Marshall, with the monkey on the back. But he's had some loud losses in the past where people are like, can he get over the hump? I mean, last year, let's bet. It took a playoff against Justin Rose to win it. So now he's in this situation where I didn't realize, I mentioned it yesterday, but I didn't have the names in front of me at the time, that he would become the fourth to win back-to-back Masters. And the names are not small. This is a monumental task now. to win the Masters two years in a row.

How has Rory McIlroy's consistency improved compared to other golfers?

Mark Grote 3:00

So I'm pretty comfortable that he's going to win it, but look at the name. Tiger Woods, 2001-2002. Nick Faldo, 1989 and 1990. And then Craig Jack Nicklaus, 65 and 66. So it ain't over yet. Most guys do not win back-to-backs at the Masters. So we'll wait and see. But, yeah, Rory's got all sorts of confidence. And, you know, it's a love fest with Rory McIlroy. So we shall see. But, yeah, that was pretty impressive.

Marshall Harris 3:30

Well, and Rory McIlroy right now with the six-stroke lead after 36. That is the largest ever after 36 at the Masters. The third largest 36-hole lead in major championship history. Brooks Koepka in 2019 at the PGA Championship.

What historical significance does winning back-to-back Masters hold?

Marshall Harris 3:48

You've got the Open in 1934. And then that obviously wasn't Koepka. But then you've got Rory McIlroy at the Masters for number three. Then it's Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open in 2011. And then you've got to go back to Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open in 2000. These are some of the names on this list, and that's what makes this so shocking. He was in the zone. How do you describe that? That's Reggie Miller unconscious zone type of stuff.

Unknown 4:16

No, I think you said it perfectly. He was in the zone. I think that's how you describe it because you say that phrase, and everybody knows what you're talking about regardless of the sport, right?

Marshall Harris 4:24

And we try to say it sometimes, I think, when somebody isn't.

Why is Tiger Woods considered a potential obstacle for Rory McIlroy?

Marshall Harris 4:27

You could argue maybe Shota was, but not like this. Not where it was so ridiculous on the last set of holes. I don't know how to put that. It's not just dominance. At that point, you're in a different league than everybody else in those moments.

Mark Grote 4:43

Well, and ironically... because this is the second straight year in which Tiger Woods has not participated in the Masters. It is Tiger Woods that is the only one that can still stop Rory McIlroy.