W

hen asked if the U.S. Open was over before the start of the fourth and final round, former PGA Tour player and golf analyst Frank Nobilo simply said, “Yes, it is, it is and it is!”

Such was the domination over four rounds by the 111th winner of the US Open, 22-year-old Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. Before the event, the challenge that Congressional Country Club would present was playing like a horror movie in the psyche of the contestants.

This was the case for 155 players, but someone failed to tell the 156th participant, Rory McIlroy. He opened the first round with a dazzling display of “fairways and greens” hitting every target in sight with a most effortless, balanced swing.

At the end of the round, the leader board read: McIlroy, 65, (six under), Y.E. Yang, 68, (three under), Charl Schwartzel, 68, (three under). There were a slew of players at two under par, including Sergio Garcia. In an event which more often than not anoints a winner at even par on Sunday and is known as the toughest test of golf, McIlroy’s quick start was remarkable.

The questions were looming, however.

Would this Irish greenhorn buckle under pressure as he did only two months ago at the Masters when he carried a four stroke lead into Sunday and crumbled under the sledgehammer that is major championship pressure?

When asked what he took from the debacle at the Masters, McIlroy said, “I mostly took just from Sunday being so tentative and trying to keep ahead of the field instead of playing a free-flowing game like I usually do.”

The bitter schooling he took at the Masters began to pay off in the second round.

McIlroy shot a resounding 66 and was now 11 under par for the event, setting a US Open record. Countryman Graeme McDowell and defending US Open champion expounded on McIlroy’s talent as he said, “It is difficult to play practice rounds with him as I generally feel demoralized about my game afterwards.”

He had extended his lead to six strokes over the man that managed to stay in second place, Y. E. Yang of South Korea.

Lee Westwood of England was asked about the advice he would give McIlroy and took little time to say, “I’m supposed to beat him over the next two days. I’m hardly going to give him advice, am I?” Yang was asked if he considered six strokes a big lead.

In a confident tone he responded: “I think at this point it’s a little bit irrelevant. Last year actually during the Korea Open back home, I played against Seung Noh, he was ten strokes ahead of me, and I won.”

Yang had some plans to narrow the score going into Saturday’s third round when he was paired with Rory. Unfortunately for Yang it was not meant to be.

Instead, McIlroy was once again in a record setting mood and by the end of the day he had carded a three under par 68 to go to 14 under. Yang’s one under par score of 70 was a yawn in comparison.

With that McIlroy stretched his lead to eight strokes leaving Yang looking for more answers at six under par. At this stage Yang was McIlroy’s only realistic pursuer. In third place, nine strokes back at five under and out of contention were Lee Westwood, Australian Jason Day and American Robert Garrigus.

The world media was intent on crowning McIlroy the de-facto winner on Saturday when Westwood once again stepped in to remind everyone that, “They don’t give trophies away on Fridays and Saturdays.” I suspect that Westwood and McIlroy had a lively conversation when they went out to dinner on Saturday night before the final round.

Rory had history in mind though as he got off to a swift start on Father’s Day Sunday at Congressional. He was two under par after four holes and moved to 16 under par, a full 10 strokes ahead of Y.E. Yang. McIlroy cruised all day with no one posing a threat. Yang slipped back during the round. The only real competition under way was for second place.

Jason Day of Australia took the honors in the end at eight under par to McIlroy’s 16 under par epic and record finish. McIlroy is now touted to win a slew of majors due to his amazing talent and youth.

At 22, he becomes the youngest US Open winner since World War II. Rory’s first words after his victory were: “Happy Father’s Day dad!” followed by a hug with his father Jerry, who was standing just off the 18th green. When asked after his victory if he thought he would win a major at such a young age he said, “I always dreamt that I would. This is my first taste of major championship glory and I want to win more.”

In responding to how he got over his mental scars from losing at the Masters earlier this year, McIlroy put the matter to rest when he said, “I was telling you guys that I was over it and I don’t know if you believed me, here you go!” as he gestured toward the US Open trophy in front of him.