Golf fans will remember Rory McIlroy’s painful unraveling at the Masters in April, a colossal collapse where he lost a four-shot lead on the final day of the historic tournament. Charl Schwartzel’s win that day was dramatic and well-earned, but it left the 22-year-old McIlroy reeling. The Irishman’s subsequent tournament play in May and early June was lackluster – that is, until this past weekend when he won the U.S. Open.
Analysts and commentators were quick to seize on the turnaround.