Rory McIlroy’s U.S. “Open” Window of Opportunity

For the first time since 1995, Tiger Woods will not be playing in this week’s U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. While his absence is a major blow to golf’s revenue stream and national attraction, the sport has endured life without the Tiger of old (a.k.a. the focused, healthy, victorious one) for nearly 20 months. And without Woods, the 2011 U.S. Open is one particular rising star’s opportunity to assume the vacant golf throne – Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

After becoming the top-ranked amateur at age 17, golf experts and players lauded McIlory’s ability – a swing as quick, smooth and powerful as a young Woods. And just two months ago at The Masters, his talent officially took center stage.

The recently turned 22-year-old led golf’s first major through the first 63 holes and was closing in on becoming the youngest ever to capture golf’s historic Green Jacket.

But his hopes were derailed after a wayward tee shot on his 64th hole – a shot that proved unrecoverable, as McIlroy subsequently stumbled to a tie for 15th place.

Despite the disappointing finish, McIlory showed that he not only belonged, but that he is a legitimate contender in each major. He only has two career wins – one each on the PGA and European Tours.

However, his best major performances are remarkable at age 22. In addition to his 63-hole lead in this year’s Masters, he finished tied for 10th in the 2009 U.S. Open, tied for third in the 2010 British Open, and tied for third in both the 2009 and 2010 PGA Championship.

A rising golf champion must possess resilience and confidence. Following his Masters meltdown, McIlroy responded the next week with a solo third place finish in the Malaysian Open.

And it was a few headline-grabbing remarks prior to last year’s Ryder Cup that conveyed McIlroy's confidence. Asked whether he wanted to play Woods, McIlroy said, “I would love to face him, unless his game rapidly improves... I think anyone on the European team would fancy their chances against him.”

While the comments were brash for a kid who has yet to record a major win – let alone 14 major victories – he speaks like a golfer striving to be great. Can you blame him? Heck, Woods has always maintained that his ultimate goal is to beat Jack Nicklaus’s record 18 major championship victories. And Woods has never wavered in the belief that he will still eclipse the mark.

The golf world is always seeking the next “Great One” – whether it’s succeeding Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and perhaps now Tiger Woods.

After a duel against Woods in the 1999 PGA Championship, then 19-year-old Sergio Garcia was declared as the next great. Nearly 12 years later, he has yet to win a major championship. Shortly thereafter in 2001, people said then 20-year-old Adam Scott was a mirror image of Woods. Ten years later, he, too, has yet to win a major championship (coincidentally, Scott will be “borrowing” Woods’s caddie in this week’s U.S. Open).

But McIlroy’s shot at golf’s reign is vastly different than Garcia’s and Scotts’ – he is not competing against a superhuman Woods. In fact, this week he is not even competing against a guy named Woods.

The 22-year-old is facing a field that has seen 10 different golfers win the last 11 major championships. If McIlroy becomes the 11th, Woods may have to dethrone him.

Follow me on Twitter @MichaelKaplun.