If Tiger Woods was hoping Rory McIlroy would be suffering from the after-effects of yet more glory when they meet once again on a first tee on Thursday, he will be severely disappointed.
If Tiger Woods was hoping Rory McIlroy would be suffering from the after-effects of yet more glory when they meet once again on a first tee on Thursday, he will be severely disappointed.
McIlroy arrived at Crooked Stick for this week's BMW Championship yesterday, less than 24 hours after beating Woods and the rest of the world's elite for the second time in three events, insisting the partying could wait for at least another three weeks.
The Northern Irishman has $10 million [6.3 million pounds] to win. As well as something utterly priceless known as the Ryder Cup.
"After I won the US PGA [last month] I told myself that there's a time and a place to enjoy what I've done and going into the play-offs isn't it," said the world No1, who matched Woods in lifting this third PGA Tour title of the year.
"We're on an incredible run of events and you've just got to keep thinking about the next event, and then about the next, and after that comes the Ryder Cup.
"There'll be plenty of time to celebrate later."
Monday's one-shot win over Louis Oosthuizen at the Deutsche Bank Championship hurtled McIlroy to the top of the FedEx Cup chart, with two events to come.
As Woods is third in the standings he and McIlroy play with each other in the same three ball for the second time in three weeks.
Nick Watney has the dubious honour of accompanying the game's two premier superstars in the first two rounds in Indianapolis.
Familiarity has plainly bred contentment for McIlroy; both with Woods and the big-time leader boards.
"I've learned how to handle winning big events and carrying myself forward and not dwelling on what's happened," said McIlroy, who is now the favourite to scoop the FedEx jackpot.
"It's just about moving forward, trying to win another golf tournament, trying to put myself in position."
What Woods makes of McIlroy's ever-increasing maturity is anyone's guess.
Not only did Woods become the first player in PGA Tour history to pass the $100 million [63 million pounds] in winnings in Boston, but, with one of his finest driving displays in recent memory, he also broke 70 in all four rounds for the first time in three years. And yet he lost.
At least Woods has the chance to take almost immediate retribution on McIlroy.
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