Rivals compare Mcilroy to Woods based on his stunning US Open display
Rivals compare Mcilroy to Woods based on his stunningu00a0US Open displayu00a0
Rory McIlroy is on pace to be the new Tiger Woods, even if he has not yet won a major title, according to golfers who have been humbled this week by the 22-year-old Ulsterman at the US Open.
McIlroy fired a three-under par 68 on Saturday to stand on an unprecedented 14-under par 199 after 54 holes, eight strokes ahead of second-place South Korean Yang Yong-Eun and on his way to immortality according to some rivals.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy watches his shot during Round 3 of the
111th US Open at Congressional Country Club on Saturday. PIC/AFP"He's potentially the next Tiger Woods," defending champion Graeme McDowell said of his compatriot. "You run out of superlatives to describe what he's doing this week. He's decimating a field. It's just phenomenal."
Woods, a 14-time major winner chasing the all-time record of 18 won by Jack Nicklaus, is absent this week due to a left leg injury. He has not won in 20 months since his infamous sex scandal and last won a major at the 2008 US Open. But Ireland's Padraig Harrington likes McIlroy's chances of being the one to pass Nicklaus.
"If you're going to talk about someone challenging Jack's record, he's your man," Harrington said. "The way he's playing out there, it's almost Tiger-esque," said third-place Jason Day of Australia. "It's unbelievable how good he's playing."
"Will he achieve what Tiger was doing around 2000 (four major wins in a row), 15 major championships or whatever he's got?" McDowell asked. "Can he be that good? Yeah, potentially. He's got that potential. He's that good."
