Rory McIlroy isn’t missing much, but he IS missing Tiger Woods

As thrilling as it was to watch Rory McIlroy dig deep into his well of determination to clinch the US PGA Championship, as exciting to see him resist the challenge of America’s old stager and latest bright young thing there was an unmistakable feeling that someone had been lost in the gathering gloom at Valhalla.

In securing his third straight tournament win and second consecutive Major championship success, beating Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler in the process, McIlroy not only trousered another $1.8 million (€1.35m) he hardly needs - taking his earnings for three weeks’ work to €3.7m - but cemented his position as world’s best golfer - a position he most certainly covets.

As McIlroy jetted off to New York to celebrate the latest stunning achievement of a career still in its infancy, the over-riding feeling of many golf fans was not one of shared joy but of gnawing dissatisfaction.
 Not that the 25-year-old Irishman didn’t deserve to clinch a fourth Major. Not at all. It is that he has done it all unopposed. The king is dead on his feet, long live the king.