Rory McIlroy’s Wanamaker fumble punctuated an otherwise bizarre 2014 PGA Championship. To watch the 2014 PGA Championship is to remember that you are now old.
There are many strange things about the pictures that greet you when you queue up the YouTube highlights: two-toned, obviously-out-of-style outfits; grainy, not-quite-HD video; old, familiar voices that haven’t appeared on CBS telecasts in many years. And then, all at once, the camera shoots to one of the three men who decided that year’s tournament — also held at this week’s tournament host, Valhalla, in the outskirts of Louisville — and there is no avoiding the obvious. You are older now, because so are they.
Peak-Rickie Fowler and His Orange Shirt
First there’s Rickie Fowler, a peak-Rickie Fowler highlighter orange shirt flapping against a rail-thin torso, wearing the kind of shock-to-the-eyes color and swagger that makes it immediately obvious how he became a fan favorite.
Phil Mickelson, Retirement, and New Beginnings
Then there’s Phil Mickelson, huskier than in recent years, brown curls springing from beneath his unusually wide-brimmed hat — looking like a boy trapped in a man’s body. Mickelson’s recent retirement announcement has caused a stir in the golf community, reflecting on his remarkable career and the impact he has had on the sport.
The Rise of Rory McIlroy
Charging up behind them to the 72nd tee box of the 2014 PGA Championship, there’s the most prudent reminder of a bygone era: Rory McIlroy, hair longer and pants wider, eyes lowered into a kind of death glare. The golf world is wrapped entirely around his fingertips in this grainy image, and though this Rory doesn’t know it yet, he has about 15 minutes left until it will leave him for at least another decade.
The end of the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla began with a late-summer rain shower thrashing against the humid heat of Louisville in August. The water fell in big globs on Sunday morning, dousing the golf course in puddles large enough to delay play for more than an hour. By the time things resumed, the tournament — and its leader — quickly found themselves in a race against daylight.
Rory McIlroy entered the day in a one-shot lead at Valhalla, but the rain seemed to sap him of his strength. A pair of bogeys on the first six holes on Sunday sent him tumbling down a leaderboard filled with names like Fowler, Mickelson and Henrik Stenson, who were taking advantage of the newly softened conditions.
As McIlroy reached the turn, it seemed the tournament might well have ended this way — echoing eerily of his heartbreaking collapse at the 2011 Masters. But this time, it was the 10th hole that saved his tournament.
After a brilliant second shot on the par-5, McIlroy poured in a lengthy eagle putt to vault him back into contention, setting off a stretch of five under in nine holes to seize back the tournament. Clinging to a two-stroke lead on the 17th, McIlroy appeared to be on the brink of a fourth-career major victory, needing only a par on the last to push past Mickelson and Fowler. But a bigger enemy loomed much closer: darkness that threatened to push the tournament to a Monday finish.
As CBS’s broadcasters murmured about it being “much darker than it looks,” Fowler and Mickelson proved as much to be true, allowing McIlroy to tee off with them on the 72nd tee box, ensuring that McIlroy (and the tournament) could finish before the horn on Sunday. A bizarre sequence ensued, with all six golfers from the final three pairings ambling up the 18th fairway together. Mickelson and Fowler, both an eagle away from tying McIlroy and possibly forcing extra holes, hit their approaches into the 18th with the tournament leader standing just feet away. Neither golfer hit their approach particularly close and both narrowly missed their eagle tries.
The runway was open for McIlroy, back in the rough in an awkward stance, to win the tournament with a par on the last. He would take advantage, blasting an approach into the front bunker, chipping up onto the green, and two-putting for a one-stroke major championship victory.
Flashbulbs illuminated the darkness around the 18th as McIlroy unleashed a furious fist-pump to celebrate the occasion, and again from just off the 18th green when a still-boyish Rory accidentally spilled the lid off the Wanamaker Trophy as the night descended on the course. The botched celebration was a fitting ending to a strange final round — and what remains, a decade later, the most recent major championship of McIlroy’s playing life.
Much has changed in the years since that Sunday in Louisville. The PGA Championship has new cameras, new styles, and even a new slot on the pro golf schedule. McIlroy has seen major championship glory fade into a distant memory, while Fowler and Mickelson’s legacies have taken on new hues. But as the golf world turns back to Valhalla again this week, at least one thing has not: Rory is in the field, and he’s one of the tournament favorites.
He’s different now, hardened in the way that time calluses all of us. But not too different or hardened to dream of another historic week in Louisville.
In those ways, at least, it seems we’re not all that different. Just 10 years older.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the 2014 PGA Championship?
The 2014 PGA Championship was a memorable tournament with a strange ending. Rory McIlroy emerged as the winner, but not without facing challenges from Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson.
How did the rain affect the tournament?
A late-summer rain shower caused a delay in the tournament. The softened conditions allowed players like Fowler, Mickelson, and Henrik Stenson to take advantage and climb up the leaderboard.
What was the significance of the 10th hole?
The 10th hole proved to be a turning point for McIlroy. He made a lengthy eagle putt, which propelled him back into contention and set the stage for his eventual victory.
How did darkness threaten the tournament?
With daylight running out, darkness posed a challenge to the completion of the tournament. McIlroy, Fowler, and Mickelson teed off together on the 72nd hole to ensure they could finish before the day ended.
What happened during McIlroy’s celebration?
After securing the victory, McIlroy celebrated with a fist-pump, but in the excitement, he accidentally spilled the lid off the Wanamaker Trophy.
What has changed since the 2014 PGA Championship?
Since the tournament, there have been changes in the PGA Championship, including new cameras and styles. McIlroy’s major championship success has become a distant memory, while Fowler and Mickelson have continued to leave their mark on the sport.
What can we expect from Rory McIlroy in the upcoming tournament?
McIlroy remains a strong contender in the field, and fans can look forward to seeing him compete for another historic week in Louisville.
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