Player tips McIlroy to become best in the world

Published on Monday 13 April 2009 00:31

GARY Player has tipped Northern Irish teenager Rory McIlroy to become the best player in the world.

The 73-year-old, who made a record 52nd and final appearance at the Masters on Friday, described McIlroy's swing as "unbelievable" and even better than Tiger Woods'.

"Rory McIlroy, if he goes about it and is managed correctly, could turn out to be the best player in the world in his time," Player told Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

"This young man is brilliant. His golf swing is unbelievable and his theory side, his swing, is better than Tiger Woods'.

"But will he have the body of Tiger Woods? Will this young man go to the gym at six o'clock in the morning? I don't know. Will he have the intensity and all the other things that Tiger has? I don't know.

"He's an incredible talent and has excelled already at a very young age. I believe he's a very nice young man too and I hope he goes from strength to strength."

McIlroy, 19, birdied six of the last 10 holes of his Masters debut last night – and left Augusta wishing he had not tried to be a hero.

The teenager finished with a 70 for a two-under total, two strokes behind the leading Briton, Graeme McDowell, who finished in join 17th on a highly respectable aggregate of four-under.

Late in his second round the exciting McIlroy had been in joint sixth place, but then four-putted the 16th and triple-bogeyed the 18th to tumble off the leaderboard.

"If I'd finished on Friday like I'd finished today I'd still be out there," said McIlroy, who vowed to learn from his mistakes.

"I hit a couple of bad putts and then on 18 I was probably trying to be a little cute from the bunker. I should have taken my medicine but I was trying to be a hero."

He left the ball in the trap first time and as well as ruining his round it led to a rules investigation into whether he had kicked the sand.

That would have brought his disqualification, but it was eventually decided there was no violation.

Asked what he had learnt from his first visit McIlroy joked: "Not to dance in the bunker!"