McGinley Expects Rory Tiger Battle

Paul McGinley believes a head-to-head battle between Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods over the next year would be "great for our sport".

McIlroy soared to the top of the world rankings after winning two majors in 2014 while Woods spent most of the year on the sidelines following back surgery.

Woods returned to action last month as he hosted the Hero World Challenge in Florida armed with a "new, old swing" constructed under the watchful eye of biomechanics coach Chris Como.

The 39-year-old was generally consistent from tee to green, but his short-game was in disarray as he finished last in the elite 18-man field - 26 shots behind runaway winner Jordan Spieth.

"Rivalries are what sport is built on. For somebody to rise up this year and have a real head-to-head battle with Rory would be great for our sport"

But McGinley expects a healthy Woods to climb back up the world rankings this year, and the victorious Ryder Cup captain hopes to see a number of showdowns between the 14-time major champion and McIlroy.

"I saw Tiger play in his tournament and the one thing that was very clear, and speaking to some of the guys that have played with him recently too, is that he's got his distance back," McGinley told Reuters.

"If you are playing at the top level in professional golf now you've got to be hitting the ball a long way. Rory has got that, he's one of the longest hitters in the world, and it looks like Tiger has got that back. That's going to be a big asset for him.

"Rivalries are what sport is built on. For somebody to rise up this year and have a real head-to-head battle with Rory would be great for our sport."

Woods has attracted many critics over the last few years for his on-course behaviour as well as his infamous off-course transgressions, but McGinley admits he remains the star attraction every time he tees up.

"Tiger is one of those guys that moves the needle in so many ways," added McGinley. "Not everybody is a fan of Tiger and some people like to see him doing badly so he moves the needle one way or the other.

"On the other side it's been seven years since he won a major championship. There's pressure on him to reach Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major wins and it'll be interesting to see how competitive he is this year.

Back in the swing

"If he gets into contention at a major, will he be able to follow through and win? He's made changes, he has gone back to trying to find the golf swing he used as a young boy and a swing that comes natural to him.

"It's very difficult to do what Tiger has done. Very few players have done that. Nick Faldo did it and Padraig Harrington did it, completely ripping apart their swings, putting it back together and still being successful.

"Tiger has gone backwards and it will be interesting to see if he can use that to go forwards and use it as a base to win major championships again."

But McGinley also expects McIlroy to add significantly to his tally of four major crowns, and he believes the Northern Irishman will be tough to dislodge at the top of the world rankings.

He said: "There are a lot more wins in Rory yet. He's incredibly talented, he's proved himself at the very top level and he's the undisputed No 1 player in the world."

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Harrington Receives PGA Award

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Padraig Harrington is the 2014 recipient of the PGA Recognition Award for his outstanding contribution to golf.

The Dubliner, who returned to the winner’s rostrum with his victory in the recent Indonesian Open, picked up the accolade at the PGA’s annual fundraiser at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

Harrington has scaled the heights of world golf with back to back Open Championship victories at Carnoustie in 2007 and Royal Birkdale a year later.

He also held off the challenge of Sergio Garcia to land the USPGA Championship at Oakland Hills in 2008 to become the first European to win back-to-back Major Championships.

It was deserved reward for his efforts on the practice ground where he would famously spend days on end with coach Bob Torrance fashioning a swing to accompany his deadly accurate short game.

The three-time Walker Cup player turned professional in 1995 and has chalked up 14 European Tour victories plus several more worldwide.

In addition he has enjoyed huge success in the Ryder Cup, making six appearances, helping Europe to four wins – the last in 2010.

Harrington was also a vice captain to fellow Irishman Paul McGinley at Gleneagles and is widely touted as a future captain.

Away from the fairways he has been equally dedicated, establishing the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation, becoming an ambassador for both the R&A and Special Olympics and also supporting a number of charities including the Oesophageal Cancer Fund and the 3Ts.

PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said: “Padraig is a golfer who inspires tremendous affection on the world stage, not just for his brilliant golf but for his dedication and passion and also for the way he conducts himself and which has made him hugely popular in the game.

“The PGA Recognition Award is our way of acknowledging great achievements in the game and I’m delighted on behalf of the PGA’s membership to bestow this accolade on Padraig – he is a deserving winner and credit to the sport.”

Commenting on the award, Harrington said: “The PGA does outstanding work on behalf of its members and fulfills an important role in growing and promoting the game of golf for the benefit of all. 

“It’s a real honour to receive the PGA Recognition Award from such a respected organisation and I am delighted that my career achievements have been recognised with this special distinction.”

The PGA lunch is an important fundraiser for the PGA’s Benevolent Fund which helps members who have fallen on difficult and hard times.

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McIlroy Appeals for Younger Audiience

Rory McIlroy has urged golf’s rule-makers to quicken the game up at grass-roots level in order to make it more attractive to youngsters.

More people are watching the sport on television these days but fewer are taking to the fairways and the 25-year-old Northern Irishman believes something needs to be done to reverse the trend.

“Everything’s so instant now and everyone doesn’t have as much time as they used to so you maybe try some way of speeding the game up,” McIlroy told BBC radio. “The viewership in golf is up but the participation is down. People enjoy watching the game but gone are the days that you could spend five or six hours on a golf course.”

The four-time major champion says officials at the top of the sport would be willing to make changes if they were of benefit.

“I don’t think they’d be against it especially if they wanted to get participation levels up,” explained McIlroy. “I don’t think they need to alter tournament-play formats, I think that works very well. It’s the grass-roots, definitely not at our level.

“I feel as though I’ve inspired a lot of kids back home in Northern Ireland to pick up the game and play,” said McIlroy who won the British Open at Hoylake in July and the US PGA Championshipin Kentucky in August. “Hopefully I can continue to do that beyond Northern Ireland because it’s a great game. It’s given me a lot and I’ve loved every minute of it and I know if more people pick up the game they’ll love it too.”

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McIlroyTargets BBC SPOTY

Rory McIlroy is one of ten contenders for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, hoping to become the first golfer to win the award since Sir Nick Faldo in 1989.

The winner will be chosen through a public vote on Sunday night, with fans casting their vote over the phone and online via the BBC Website. 

Earlier this week Graeme McDowell came out in support of his countryman and at the end of a year many experts are calling the greatest in the history of European golf, the public recognition for the best golfer in world would cap a phenomenal campaign.

Derek Lawrenson and Jamie Corrigan, two of the most authoritative voices in our sport as golf correspondents of the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph respectively, today gave their views on why McIlroy should win.

Rory McIlroy can drive golf into new era with SPOTY win – Read more on telegraph.co.uk

Favourite for the BBC's Sports Personality Award, Rory McIlroy reflects on his year: I want to win it for golf... the sport is in trouble and I can boost it like Tiger did Read more on dailymail.co.uk

It would be big for golf, wouldn’t it?’ said McIlroy. ‘Growing up in a sports-mad household, it was certainly a programme I always watched. It was a chance to see some of the greats of British sport being honoured. So I’m really pleased to be part of the conversation.

‘I think when you look at the names of the winners it’s understandable why it has been a while since a golfer has won. We’ve had great footballers like David Beckham and Ryan Giggs, we’ve had the cyclists, the Olympics in 2012 and Andy Murray winning Wimbledon.

‘Having said that, this would be a great time for a golfer to win. If the wider public see a golfer doing his stuff on a programme like this, it might spark a greater interest.

‘Of course, there will always be interest in golf. But it might give it an injection of excitement, like it had in the mid-90s with Faldo and Seve, or when Tiger came along.”

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McIlroy Shortlisted for BBC SPOTY

Rory McIlroy is a strong favourite to round off the most successful spell of his career with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after being confirmed among the 10 shortlisted contenders on Monday.

McIlroy, who won the final two majors of the year as well as helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup, will bid to become the first golfer to win the prestigious award since Nick Faldo in 1989.

But McIlroy could face a stern challenge from Lewis Hamilton, who claimed his second Formula One world title in Abu Dhabi at the weekend and finished second in the voting in both 2007 and 2008.

The winner of the award will be announced at the culmination of the live show on December 14 at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, following a public vote.

But Scottish fans will have no local favourite to support after last year's winner Andy Murray was left off the final contenders following a year in which he failed to add to his twocareer grand slam titles.

Gareth Bale is the only footballer to make the cut after an impressive first season with Real Madrid, while boxer Carl Froch also earns a place after his conclusive Wembley rematch win over George Groves.

Olympic and World Cup skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold is joined by skiers Kelly Gallagher and guide Charlotte Evans, who were crowned Great Britain's first Winter Paralympic champions when they won the women's visually-impaired Super G in Sochi in March.

Charlotte Dujardin, who picked up two dressage world titles this year, and Jo Pavey, whose 10,000m gold in Zurich made her the oldest female European champion in history at the age of 40 and 325 days, take the total list of female contenders to four.

The list is completed by gymnast Max Whitlock, who won world, European and Commonwealth medals in 2014, and swimmer Adam Peaty, who won four European titles and two Commonwealth Games golds.

The shortlist was decided by a panel of former nominees, newspaper sports editors and television sport executives.

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