'mcilroy In The Conversation To Be Europe's Greatest Golfer'

The clubhouse timepiece was ticking towards 11pm connected nan nighttime of Rory McIlroy's top time successful golf.

In nan hours that followed his melodramatic play-off triumph complete Justin Rose to onshore his first Masters Green Jacket, nan Northern Irishman talked and talked and talked.

First to CBS's Jim Nantz and Augusta president Fred Ridley successful nan Butler Cabin, past to nan assembled members for nan general prize presentation. Then galore tv interviews, nan media successful nan sumptuous property building.

Then to nan clubhouse, wherever he joined nine members successful nan Grill Room to talk nan melodramatic preceding hours that had captivated nan sporting world. And past much tv interviews.

Eventually he emerged into an adjacent room wherever we had been waiting - BBC Northern Ireland's Stephen Watson and RTE's Greg Allen - colleagues pinch whom I've shared truthful overmuch clip covering McIlroy's bonzer career.

As he entered nan room, nan caller Masters champion saw america waiting, puffed retired his cheeks, leaned guardant resting his elbows connected nan backmost of a sofa and gave america a look that said it all.

Wordlessly his eyes said: "Can you judge what has happened? What is happening?"

The overgarment was a cleanable fit, a deeper greenish than you mightiness ideate and successful that infinitesimal came nan realisation that he had really done it. The load had lifted, ne'er again would we beryllium capable to inquire nan questions that had nagged him for much than a decade.

Now, aged 35, he is an all-time great. Indisputably. He sits alongside Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen - nan only antheral golfers to person won each 4 of nan tournaments that matter most.

The Grand Slam eluded immoderate of golf's top names; Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson.

Now pinch 5 majors, McIlroy moves alongside Ballesteros and trails Faldo by one. Given that he is nan first man from nan continent to complete nan Slam, Northern Ireland's sporting superstar mightiness person eclipsed Faldo.

It could beryllium based on that way, fixed McIlroy's 28 PGA Tour victories including 2 Players Championships. Outside his 3 Masters and 3 Open titles, Faldo won only 3 different events that count connected nan PGA Tour.

But it would beryllium churlish to opportunity either way, comparing eras is simply a fool's errand. What tin beryllium said is that McIlroy is successful nan speech for being Europe's top men's golfer.

And now he has shed a family of gorillas from his backmost he will beryllium unburdened for early majors. The adjacent 1 is astatine Quail Hollow, wherever he has enjoyed truthful overmuch occurrence successful PGA Tour events.

Then it's nan US Open, a title he has narrowly missed winning successful nan past 2 years, earlier The Open astatine Royal Portrush successful his autochthonal Northern Ireland. Opportunities abound successful 2025.

McIlroy's golfing talent is beyond question. The aforesaid could not beryllium said of his temperament because of nan weighty load of an 11-year hold for his 5th awesome win.

The Masters was nan biggest hurdle. He feels he should person won it successful 2011 erstwhile he capitulated to a last information 80.

It is nan tourney that inspired him to play nan game, nan 1 he wanted most. It is why nerves truthful very astir sewage nan amended of him past Sunday.

The biggest conflict was pinch himself. Golf is simply a trial of nervus and that constituent undermines immoderate method gifts, nary matter really expansive they mightiness be.

But someway he clung connected to contradict Rose - a 44-year-old, who surely deserves different awesome and plays this crippled pinch commendable grace and class.

Too often play sits successful nan sporting shadows, but past Sunday these 2 titans dragged nan crippled into a spotlight that has seldom shone brighter.

McIlroy now sits alongside nan top of UK sporting icons.

Sir Roger Bannister, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Sir Andy Murray, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sir Mark Cavendish, Sir Chris Hoy, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Dame Laura Kenny, Sir Jimmy Anderson - nan database goes connected and nan bid tin beryllium based on immoderate which way.

But you tin spot wherever McIlroy mightiness extremity up.

The bottommost statement is that successful play and successful athletics successful general, McIlroy is correct up there. Supremely talented to nan grade that he could conquer vulnerabilities that had threatened an under-achiever tagline.

We can't opportunity that immoderate longer. There is truthful overmuch much to talk astir erstwhile it comes to Rory McIlroy.