RoryMcIlroy

It is probably too early to push all the panic buttons about Rory McIlroy but it is definitely getting close.

His performance in walking off the course yesterday was a complete disaster from a personal and a public relations point of view.

Golfers simply do not walk off whatever the score and he should have completed.

The excuse he gave of wisdom tooth pain sounded as implausible as if he had said a cat ate his clubs.

So the prophets of doom for McIlroy are out in force today, predicting a huge slump.

They may be right except much of what was said about McIlroy after his meltdown yesterday at a tournament in Florida was also being said after his disastrous Masters final round a few years ago.

Back then there were many predictions that McIlroy’s blow up when he shot an 80 after holding a four stroke lead would affect him very badly.

Instead he turned it around and won two majors along the way, battling another slew of stories that he was spending too much time with his professional  tennis playing  girlfriend.

This time they are saying it is his clubs from the new deal with Nike that are the problem.

I wouldn’t bet on it. McIlroy usually gets the season off to a slow start. He comes into rhythm right around the Masters.

He is cutting it close but he has about six weeks left.

The betting here is that he will do it.