Rory McIlroy: Transforming the Tours. Rebranding Golf.



Rory McIlroy
 (From CanadianGolfer.com)

"It's nice that people say that he could be this or he could be that or he could win 20 major championships, but at the end of the day I've won one." - 2011 US Open winner Rory McIlroy

That quote, modest as it was, spoke volumes as to not only how much Rory McIlroy has already changed the dynamic in men's professional golf -- both on his home European Tour and here in North America on the PGA Tour -- but how much capacity he and his fellow "New Kids on the Block" hold to re-brand the sport itself.

When a 22-year-old wins the US Open the way McIlroy did last weekend, the sports world takes notice. When a 22-year-old does it with the grace, eloquence and class shown by the Irishman, the sports world has every reason to celebrate.

McIlroy is a big story because of his record-breaking US Open win, an eight-shot rout that saw him go 16-under par at the Congressional. He's a bigger story because he did so to shake off the choker label that has followed him since he detonated and folded at the Masters in April. In my books, he's an even bigger story, however, on the strength of his approach to the media, his fellow players and, ultimately, the fans of the game of golf.

Dealing with the media is part of the territory that comes with being a professional athlete, coach or executive. Dealing with it well is unfortunately still the terrain of far too few personalities in professional sport. Even at the age of 22, McIlroy already appears to understand the axiom of excellence when it comes to media and public relations: That the way you speak to the media is ultimately the way you come across to the fans.

The best in the business realize that the sports media is the conduit of players, coaches, executives, franchises and leagues to their fans. That's true even in this Internet era of expanded controlled communications.

Rory McIlroy gets that. He is an exciting prospect for golf not only because of his obvious talent and dedication to his craft, he is a golden asset to the game of golf because of his poise at the microphone.

If he and the other New Kids -- names such as Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Martn Kaymar, Graeme McDowell, Charl Schwartzel and Luke Donald -- are as good with their publics as they are on the course, golf will do just fine thank you in the years after the era dominated by Tiger Woods.

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