Adam Scott is number one, but Rory McIlory is Tiger Woods' natural heir, a concentration of talent and the will to win: this week they will be facing each other at Jack Nicklaus' home, Muirfield Village Golf Club, in Dublin, Ohio, where the Memorial Tournament takes place, from today to Sunday . There are 120 participants, among them seven of the top ten players in the world ranking. Only Tiger, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia are missing. The field is at the highest level and includes Masters Champion Bubba Watson, the great Lefty, Phil Mickelson, the rampant Jordan Spieth and defending champion Matt Kuchar. Adam and Rory will cross arms at 13,16pm local time; with them also the Australian Jason Day, who hasn't played for many weeks due to a problem with his thumb. The spotlights will certainly be on this trio and above all on the two golfers of the moment: both are returning from a victory last weekend, both want to occupy the throne left vacant by Tiger.
For now, Scott has managed the feat, but Rory (number 6 in the world) has no intention of remaining on the bench. After Wentworth's success he appears very determined: “This is the beginning of something – he says – I felt that my game was bubbly and this victory is confirmation of that. There are still three Majors this year, a lot of good tournaments that I can try to win and even if it's only halfway through the season I feel like I'm at the beginning”. The Northern Irishman at just 25 has already been number one in the world and has already won two Majors. Scott is 34 years old, boasts a Masters under his belt and, for the first of his career, reached the top of the Ranking last week. The first has just left his girlfriend, the second has been married for a few weeks. Two good stories, two spectacular swings, still many possibilities ahead, even if the balance of time all hangs in Rory's favor. For Paul McGinley, European captain of the Ryder Cup, McIlroy has matured in recent months, he is increasingly "Tiger". A judgment and a wish, also in view of the challenge in September. Meanwhile, golf finds its bite again, thanks to two star performers capable of catalyzing attention. It is important that there are champions like them. recognizable and competitive, also to bear the fortunately temporary "mourning" of Tiger's absence.
Another young champion hits the greens again this week, but in Sweden: Matteo Manassero who unfortunately is not experiencing a good professional season. Perhaps when expectations towards him drop, the victories will return, meanwhile the 21-year-old from Verona will do his best to prevail in the Nordea Masters, which began this morning, in Malmo, where reigning champion is Mikko Ilonen. The two play together at 13,10, together with one of the two hosts, Jonas Blixt. The other Swede on track is Henrik Stenson, who climbed up to second place in the world standings last week, while Woods slipped further to third place. With the 2013 Race to Dubai and Fedex Cup winner, European number one Thomas Bjorn and number 8,10 Miguel Angel Jimenez, winner of the recent Spanish Open, are at the tee at 5.
The very good Francesco Molinari, seventh in London, starts ten minutes later, with Victor Dubuisson and Peter Hanson. The Italian patrol in Sweden includes three other players: Marco Crespi, Edoardo Molinari and Andrea Pavan. The latter deserves a special mention, because in Walton-on-The-Hill (England) he managed to catch the last train for the US Open which will take place in Pinehurst, North Carolina, from June 12th to 15th. A very important qualification, which projects another blue into the firmament of world golf. The other player who will be able to play in the second Major of the year is Francesco Molinari, currently number 41 in the world.
