Rory McIlroy will be a marked man in the Ryder Cup, says Jim Furyk
Jim Furyk believes that Rory McIlroy will be the hottest player in the Ryder Cup’s field, when the biennial even starts at the Medinah Country Club, on September 28, 2012.
McIlroy surged to the number one spot in the Official World Golf Rankings after registering a record eight-shot victory in the PGA Championship.
It was the second major victory of his career. Among his next three appearances he made, he won two. He took the top spot in the FedEx Cup standings, heading into the final stage of the PGA Tour Playoffs, the Tour Championship.
He is currently the hot favourite for winning the US $10 million FedEx Cup bonus because of his stunning form in the past few weeks.
The Ryder Cup will showcase 12 players each from the United States team and the European team. Both the teams will then contend against each other for one of the prestigious team titles in the world of golf.
Jim Furyk, however, believes that McIlroy will be completely a unique player in the field and can play a crucial role in earning his continent another victory in the event.
"We're not just playing one individual, though, we're playing 12," Furyk said, on Tuesday at East Lake. "Obviously, he's a marked man. He's the No. 1 player in the world. He's going to garner all the attention, as well he should”.
“He's played phenomenal this year. ... He's right now the present day Tiger Woods, where everyone's eyes are on him. Tiger is still Tiger. Everyone would love to see that pairing in the Ryder Cup," he added.
In his Ryder Cup debut two years ago, McIlroy recorded a 1-1-2. However, the European fans are looking forward to seeing a new McIlroy in the field this year.
When Tiger Woods won the Masters Tournament with a record 12-stroke margin in 1997, he qualified for the United States Ryder Cup team for the same year. However, he failed to impress his fans by finishing with a 1-3-1.
Therefore, one should consider the fact that the team event can put some pressure on the world number one player this year too.
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