Breaking records in Wells Fargo
Records are made to be broken. However, the rate at which golfing records are being smashed at present is positively alarming. Some would say “ludicrous!”. Others would gasp and utter, “absolutely inspiring!”. It just depends how you view life.
A few weeks after the ‘disappointment’ of not winning the US Masters for the Grand Slam (the winning of all four Major Championships), Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland, picked himself up, banked his rather handsome 4th place prize cheque, and went on to break a few records in the Wells Fargo Championship in America.
The Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, NC sounds enchanting. And enchanting it was for 26-year old McIlroy. The world’s number one golfer put on a phenomenal display in the Wells Fargo (14-17 May) shooting a 61, a personal best on Saturday. He notched-up 11 birdies in all in that round – creating another record. Amazingly, 9 of these birdies came in a trail-blazing 10-hole stretch. McIlroy not only bettered his own course record by one stroke, which he set in the final round of the 2010 Wells Fargo Championship and which was equalled by Brendon de Jonge in 2014, he also created a new 54-hole record for the tournament that day to lead the tournament on 18-under par.
With rounds of 70, 67, 61, 69 for a tally of 267, Rory’s 21-under par was good enough to lift the title a mighty seven shots clear of the field. His dazzling performance saw him also set a new Wells Fargo Championship record as well as another personal career best. The 26 year old is keeping a firm grip on his number one spot in the world ranking.
Fears of the young American Jordan Spieth catching the World Number One just faded, ever so slightly. The US Masters Champion remains in second spot in the world ranking but he looks set to be chomping at Rory’s heels for some time to come.
Wendy Hoad