Rory McIlroy has many talents when it comes to playing golf, but being a talent scout apparently isn’t one of them.
McIlroy spoke at length to Kyle Porter for the latest Normal Sport newsletter about a variety of topics. And while McIlroy’s, um, interesting take about golf media drew the most attention, we were drawn to a hilariously wrong first impression he had of one future star golfer’s game.
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Can Rory McIlroy find himself again in march toward joining all-time greats?
McIlroy was asked which players who never made it big surprise him the most and he listed Philip Francis, Jamie Lovemark and Oliver Fisher. All solid answers. But then he added this on a player who seemed to surprise him by making it big: Jordan Spieth. That’s right, Jordan Spieth.
“I remember the first time, I think I told you this, the first time I played with Jordan Spieth, 2013 San Antonio,” McIlroy said. “And I played the first two days with him, and he missed the cut. And I’m like, ‘What is the big deal with this kid? Very average.’ And he comes on and nearly wins the grand slam two years later.”
Very average. Whoops.
OK, a couple things. To be fair to McIlroy, it was 2013. And Spieth shot 71-76. And McIlroy, already a six-time PGA Tour winner with two majors under his belt, shot 72-67 and finished runner-up that week.
HOWEVAH, Spieth had already been No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and had joined Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win the U.S. Junior multiple times. So he was already anything but very average. He also would win his maiden PGA Tour title three months later and go on to be named Rookie of the Year. Anyway, here’s a photo of Spieth, then 19, and McIlroy, then 24, at that 2013 Valero Texas Open when they both had a lot more hair:
