Smiling Irishman who captured American hearts at Charlotte

YOU can measure a sporting victory by financial prize, but that is the superficial way.

Better to judge it against the sentiment it unleashes and the true meaning it signifies. On both counts, one would have to echo Billy Foster’s sentiments.

“It can only be a massive stepping stone,” said Lee Westwood’s caddie, who was, as always, the picture of calm as all around him jubilation erupted on Sunday in this stifling hot southern city. Foster heard the wild cheers and witnessed the reason for them – Ireland’s Rory McIlroy – and couldn’t have been more proud.

“He’s a lot of talent,” Foster said.

Indeed, he is. But the lasting image of McIlroy’s breathtaking final-round 62 and four-stroke win in the Quail Hollow Championship won’t be that 43-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole or his seven-iron bunker shot to five feet at the 16th or the unforgettable five-iron from 207 yards that set up a four-foot eagle putt at the 588-yard, par-5 15th. It won’t even be the fearless 4-iron from 205 yards cut into a hole location on the water’s edge at his 16th hole Friday that led to a 4-foot eagle and brought him from two shots outside the cut into weekend play on the number.

No, the indelible image of McIlroy’s second professional win and first on US soil will be Pádraig Harrington, Westwood, and Foster. Their final-round over for upwards of two hours, they did not pack their bags and roar off. Instead, they waited in sauna-like conditions to greet McIlroy’s breakthrough victory and offer great cheer to the 20-year-old.

Given that so much of our golf landscape has been polluted with the Tiger Woods saga, it was more than refreshing to watch the McIlroy performance. That fellow Europeans like Harrington, Westwood, and Foster saluted him was no surprise; that is their nature and the game is blessed because of it. That a disappointed marquee challenger like Phil Mickelson stopped to tip his cap made the experience even sweeter.

“I thought I might be able to catch him,” said Mickelson, who ran in a 40-foot birdie at the par-three 13th to stay within two. The only thing is, up ahead McIlroy was throwing down that eagle at the par-five 15th, and the ensuing eruption of noise told Mickelson that his challenge on this day would fall short. No regrets, just praise. “I’ve played him over the last year or two,” Mickelson said, “I’m happy for him to win, even though I’m disappointed it was at my expense.”

McIlroy started the day joint seventh, four behind Billy Mayfair. But when you rip off three straight birdies to get to the turn in 32, as McIlroy did, and the leader posts 38 for nine, as Mayfair did, volatility happens. When the eruption continued for McIlroy with an inward 30 leading to a 15-under total, words could barely be spoken.

McIlroy was more than 10 strokes better than the field average (72.714).

“It’s stunning,” said CBS reporter David Feherty. “I tried to be as impartial as I could, but I was jumping up and down like a leprachaun.”

Folks will focus on the monetary worth ($1,17 million does give you a warm feeling), but McIlroy’s victory resonates for a few reasons. For one, it quiets cynics among us, the people who had openly wondered why such a young player had been ranked 13th in the world with so little experience.

For another, it was heart-warming to see McIlroy embraced not only by his European colleagues, but by a US public that has fallen for his infectious smile and engaging personality at a time when Woods tested our resolve.

McIlroy is now ninth in the world and while he can’t be considered No. 1 in US golf hearts – that space reserved for Mickelson – he has carved out a very special place for himself.

* Jim McCabe is senior writer with Golfweek.