McIlroy: long shot for Valhalla

It's unlikely that Tiger is going to win every major - although maybe he has a chance this year because of his unbelievable form so far - but there could be a chance for Justin to sneak in and nick one.

Mark Roe
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THE 37th RYDER CUP
LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
And in High Definition
September 16-21 2008
Valhalla GC, Louisville, Kentucky

In this column a few weeks ago, I named six rookies who Nick Faldo may have in mind to make their Ryder Cup debuts at Valhalla later this year.

I suggested that Daniel Chopra, Martin Kaymer, Nick Dougherty, Simon Dyson, Richard Finch and Marc Warren might all be in contention - and since then your e-mails have been flooding in telling me who I left off my list.

Two names cropped up more than most - Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy - so this week I thought I'd take a look at the merits of these two exciting young players.

It's easy to forget that Valhalla would be Justin's first Ryder Cup because it's been a slow but positive progression for him to the point where he finds himself now.

I think it's highly likely he'll be in the team given the confidence he's gained after winning the Volvo Masters and the European Tour Order of Merit last year. It was an amazing achievement to win that in just 12 European events and I suspect that was probably beyond his wildest dreams.

To be European number one is something very special and it's a big stepping stone for him. The manner in which he did it, by coming up with the goods at the Volvo Masters, will really drive his confidence sky high.

I expect that when his season starts in earnest we'll see Justin Rose in the winner's circle and he has to focus on winning in America this year because that is something he hasn't achieved yet.

However, there is one nagging doubt that hangs over me with Justin and that's his fitness. I do worry about this continuous and sporadic back injury which seems to crop up when he plays four or five weeks on the trot. For such a young man, that is worrying.

He's very fit and strong and he works hard in the gym, but if that problem keeps occurring then it could be something mechanical. I haven't spoken to Justin and I don't know the intricacies of the problem, but it does hang over him a little bit.

He spoke to Golf Night this week and said he doesn't need to reinvent his game too much to move forward.

I think that's absolutely right. He knows his game works under pressure and he hasn't got too much to refine; just a bit of work on his short game and his putting.

World-class

He and Nick Bradley have done a wonderful job to get him where he is today. He has crept under the radar a little bit over in America and he has become a very good, competent player.

In fact, he's moved solidly up the world rankings to the point where you would now consider him to be a world-class player.

Thoughts of a major win will be in his mind and I think there is nothing to stop him because there are no glaring weaknesses in his game.

It all comes down to belief and whether or not he is winning tournaments in the build-up to a major championship. You would expect him to carry some of his form over from last year and you would have to say he has a chance.

However, there is just one huge mountain to climb at every major championship - and that's Tiger Woods.

It's unlikely that Tiger is going to win every one - although maybe he has a chance this year because of his unbelievable form so far - but historically he only averages one major a year and there could be a chance for Justin to sneak in and nick one.

As for the Ryder Cup, he might not have been ready for it a couple of years ago, but there's no doubt that he's ready for it now and he'd be a great addition to any team.

I think we'll see his debut this year and he deserves it, but there is still a long way to go and a lot of work to do. He has got to keep pushing forward

The other name mentioned by many of you as a potential Ryder Cup rookie was Rory McIlroy, presumably after what he achieved at the back end of last year.

Astonishing

To get his European Tour card in just three events, culminating with a third-placed finish at the Dunhill Links Championship, was astonishing and he looked so good under immense pressure.

But progress since then has not been dynamic and it's there for everyone to see. He's missed a few cuts, he's not really contended and so far he hasn't stamped his authority on the 2008 season.

So talk of Rory McIlroy as a Ryder Cup player at the moment is a little premature for me.

He is certainly one of the most talented players to hit the world game for a very long time, but there is always a settling in period for any player.

He was running on adrenaline when he first turned pro with huge media attention on him and I think he was riding on the crest of that wave a little bit.

Now he has to readjust his game and produce a good, solid season. There is no doubt that we'll see him in contention at some point and then we'll see exactly what he's got.

It's still to be seen whether the Dunhill Links was a one-off, although I'm 99.9 per cent certain it wasn't. I think he's the real deal and we could very possibly see him win this year - but first of all he's got to start getting himself in contention and he's certainly got to start making the cut.

I would consider him a long shot for Valhalla because there's so much talent out there already winning. Look at Martin Kaymer's success or Daniel Chopra winning the Mercedes- Benz Championship on the other side of the pond.

There are only 10 places on the team plus two picks and it depends on how the balance of the team is shaping up as to whether Nick goes for youth or experience.

At the moment, Rory McIlroy is an unknown quantity, but he is a huge talent and I look forward to watching him progress. People that have played with him have said he's a great ball-striker and clearly he's mentally strong.

But he's got to go out and let his clubs do the talking because the only thing that matters is results.