Does the God of Golf Have Her Eye On Rory McIlroy?

Ah, the golf god is a fickle, mercurial, angry, forgiving, understanding, and forgetful mistress. At times she is humorless. At others, sentimental.

I hope it is sentimentality she is feeling, looking down on Rory McIlroy this week. For years, she was nasty and mean to McIlroy. It started here, in Augusta, at the 2011 Masters. She thought she’d have a little fun on the 10th tee during the final round. He had, at one point, a four-shot lead. That was before he hooked his ball into the breakfast nook of one of the cabins down the left side. She’s probably still laughing about that. She certainly made sure he was reminded about it for years. Years.

She must have enjoyed poking the young Mr. McIlroy, because just last year, at the US Open at Pinehurst, it once again seemed to be his day. His day, that is, until a missed two-footer on the 15th hole and a four-footer on the 18th, costing him the tournament. She probably still smiles about that day.

But then, for some inexplicable reason - and she doesn’t need a reason - she decided to take McIlroy under her wing. There he was, poised to pull off one of, if not the best, day of his golfing life by winning the Masters and becoming just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam. Yes, she still had some fun with him though on 13, but in the end, she chose to bestow her blessings and he was so anointed.

Which brings us to this week.

It’s the final major of the year, the Open championship. It’s in McIlroy’s home country of Northern Ireland. It’s being played on a course he knows well, Royal Portrush. There is a wonderful opportunity here, if she allows it. Having the year’s first major ending with the culmination of a lifelong dream, bookended with another lifelong dream, winning a major championship in his home country, feels like a fairy tale written specifically with McIlroy in mind. Will she allow it to happen? Does she feel like Rory has suffered enough? Is she in a good mood? Is she a fan of the game’s history just as much as we are?

If she is, then it’ll be a glorious Sunday celebration. It will be a day to remember forever, in a year that just might also be remembered forever.

If that’s ok with her.