Major battles: Rory v Matteo

IT would be no exaggeration to suggest that Rory McIlroy is one of the most exciting golfers I have ever had the privilege to watch.

The first time I saw him was at the 2007 Walker Cup match at Royal County Down when, in front of his delirious home fans, he defeated Bill Horshel 4&2 in the second series of singles with a brand of aggressive golf than was reminiscent of Arnold Palmer in his prime.

The 17-year-old McIlroy played off a scarcely credible +6 at that time and since turning professional he has gone on to win twice – once in Europe and the other in America – and has risen seamlessly into a position within the top 10 on the official World Ranking.

Indeed, as I write, he has just moved up to No 6 on that list, ahead of Tiger Woods, and in sight of the No 1 spot he has craved ever since he first picked up a golf club in Holywood, Northern Ireland, back in the mid-1990s.

Italy’s Matteo Manassero is an altogether different golfer but, like McIlroy, also burst onto the scene like an express train and seems destined to join the Irishman among the elite.

Like McIlroy, the unassuming Manassero made a name for himself in the amateur game. The Italian first hit the headlines in 2009 when, aged 16 years and 63 days, he became the youngest winner of the British Amateur Championship. The following year, he became the youngest player to make the cut at the Masters before collecting the Silver Medal as the lowest amateur after finishing tied 13th at the Open Championship at Turnberry.

Subsequently, Manassero turned professional, also winning twice to date, first at the 2010 Castelló Masters, when he became the youngest winner in European Tour history at the tender age of just 17 years and 188 days, and then again earlier this year at the Malaysian Open. 

Like McIlroy, the younger Manassero is already being touted a Major champion of the future. So which one do I think will do best as their careers develop? Do we have two bone fide superstars on our hands? Or just two teenage sensations who fail to live up to the hype that surrounds them?

The first thing to say is that I believe both can, and will, win Majors, although both still have work to do before they get there.

A few moments ago I likened the young McIlroy to Arnold Palmer but, if truth be told, he may resemble a youthful Johnny Miller even more, and not just because neither is frightened to speak their minds. 

Both the American and the Irishman are (or in Miller’s case was) capable of bouts of extremely low scoring, as Miller showed when he closed with a 63 to win the 1973 US Open and McIlroy illustrated when he romped home in 62 to claim last year’s Quail Hollow Championship. Both tend go for the jugular, which is probably why neither is quite a consistent as they’d like to be. 

Unfortunately for McIlroy, the Irishman is also like Miller in as much as he is prone to miss more than his fair share of short putts, a weakness which in the end drove the American away from tournament golf. 

McIlroy has nothing like as serious a problem, or I don’t think he does. In fact, in many cases when he misses a short one, it might be down to poor concentration rather than bad technique. 

However, it is a concern, not least because, when you think about it, there haven’t been too many top players who have started out as indifferent putters but made themselves good. Bernhard Langer perhaps, but few others I would suggest.

Manassero has no such problems. Indeed, at his best, he’s a bit like Ben Hogan in as much as his great strength is that he appears to have no weaknesses. There are those who will tell you he needs to gain length to compete but I don’t ascribe to that viewpoint. He’ll be long enough once he develops fully. All he needs is experience to add to his enormous mental strength.

Personally, if you asked me to place a bet, I would say that Manassero will more majors than McIlroy. But it will be close, very close, and also enormous fun to watch.