$171,000 Reasons to Smile – [Opinion]

Here's the latest column from John Muzzy... It's this week's "Unmuzzled"

As parents it’s important to believe in your kids. You’re supposed to tell them that if they try hard enough they can accomplish anything they set out to do. Rory McIlory’s father proved to every parent in the world on Sunday that having that kind of belief in your children can definitely pay off. Back in 2004 Gerry McIlory and his friends bet that Rory would win the British Open within the next ten years. The odds were 500/1 back in 2004  when the elder McIlory placed the 200-pound bet ($341 dollars) on his son, meaning if it were to pay off it would pay off big. With the 10 years about to expire it looked like the bet wouldn’t pay off, but after shooting an incredible -17 under this weekend Rory brought home the claret jug, $1.66 million dollars in winnings for himself, and an incredible $171,000 for the father who believed in him all along.

With the win Rory only needs a green jacket at Augusta to complete the career grand slam and at only 25 years old he has a great chance at accomplishing that feat. Only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods completed three legs of the career Grand Slam at and younger age than McIlory. Rory has risen to being one of the great players in modern day golf and one of the game’s most marketable players, something the PGA desperately needs with Tiger Woods simply not being “Tiger like” for quite a while. Back in 2011 Rory was best known for having one of the worst chokes in PGA history after leading the Masters for the first three days and then completely collapsing on Sunday. However, since then he has won the US Open later that year, the PGA Championship in 2012, and now the British pen.

Be on the lookout: Another 25 year old golfer had a weekend almost as impressive as McIlory. American Rickie Fowler shot below 70 each day of the tournament giving him a -15 under, normally a score that would an event like the Open Championship, but on this day it put him in a tie for second place. Last month Fowler finished second at the U.S. Open and In April he finished fifth at the Masters. This is his fifth full year on the tour and he’s continually gotten better. If he continues to strengthen his play the way he has this year it’s only a matter of time before we see the young American in the winner’s circle.