Is Rory McIlroy spooked by his ‘big four’ rivals?

Bernhard Langer’s ability to consistently overcome his career struggles with the putting yips are so well documented, that the smart money would always have been on him finding yet another technical solution to this year’s changes in the laws surrounding anchoring — but it is not as simple as that.

At 58 years of age, Langer would have been well aware that time was no longer a friend, as statistically he is already well past his sell by date on an ever competitive Champion’s Tour. So whatever decision he made, it had to be effective immediately.

That he has already won in 2016 says so much about the way Langer has meticulously and diligently dealt with the many obstacles that were in his way throughout his entire professional career.