Rory McIlroy can end Dustin Johnson’s domination of golf, says Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn
RYDER CUP captain Thomas Bjorn believes Rory McIlroy can give European golf a massive boost by ending Dustin Johnson’s all-conquering run.
Bjorn echoed the views of most golf fans by saying he would love to see both men on top of their game this week – and believes McIlroy would just edge it in a straight shoot-out.
Bjorn declared: “It’s very much dependent where Rory is with his game, but I think he is about the only one who can stand up to Dustin the way he has been playing.
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“Jason Day and Jordan Spieth probably come very close, but Rory is the only one who can match and even beat him if he gets his game going.
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“If those serve up their A games then they are going to be very difficult to keep up with. They are No 1 and 2 in the world for a reason.
“OK, Dustin’s op top of the rankings now, but Rory’s been there before and probably thinks he should be back there.
“Dustin’s form is red-hot, but around here you just never know. People come in on great form and they don’t perform.
“This golf course is so demanding and if you don’t stay level-headed then all of a sudden it brings a lot of other guys into it.
“But I think Rory and Dustin could distance themselves from the other guts , although I don’t think they have been consistent enough so far.
“They don’t have that Tiger thing where he just goes for a really long period of time. They go only really good stretches and then they go away for a while.
“Dustin, I think, has the taste for it now and it will be interesting to see where that goes. The quality he has been delivering has been unbelievable.
“But Rory went on a similar tear just under three years ago when he won two Majors and a World Golf Championship, so we know he is just as capable of playing phenomenal golf.
“And if it does come down to an A game shoot-out, I think Rory would just edge it – especially around here.
“A lot of it would come down to the golf course. I think Rory, with his game should manage this golf course better than DJ, and perform better than he has done in the Masters.
“This was the Major we all thought he was going to win first – but it’s the only one he hasn’t won yet.
“It was the Open where I thought he would struggle with his ball flight, and he’s got a Claret Jug.
Augusta should suit Rory perfectly. He drives the ball so well. People say it’s wide but I don’t think it’s that wide.
“There are some wide holes but there’s a couple of tee shots out there where you have to be spot on and you have to take advantage of those tee shots.
“And I think Rory has something in him. He’s just more graceful. It just looks so natural. Dustin is a bit more of a powerhouse. I’d like the artist to beat the slugger.”