Lionheart Rory a perfect 10 for proud coach Bannon

When Michael Bannon sat down with Rory McIlroy at the start of the year, he surprised the now World No. 1 by indicating he wanted him to win a 10th pro career title by the end of the season.

McIlroy added a new word, ‘Roryesque’, to the golfing dictionary in the stunning manner he won last Sunday’s concluding DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Remarkably, it was only the second time since McIlroy turned pro in September 2007 that Bannon, and his coach since McIlroy was aged six, that the former club pro has witnessed the Holywood golfing wonder win a tournament.

Bannon had been at Kiawah Island in August but headed home early and didn’t get to witness first hand McIlroy capturing a second Major by a similar eight-shot margin as his first.

“Actually, the first time I saw him win was the Deutsche Bank title in Boston at the Play Off Series and that was brilliant,” said Bannon.

“So I wasn’t at Kiawah as I had left to go home but to be in Dubai to see him win again was just fantastic.

“He seems to grow every year in incredible leaps and bounds, and in a way he continues to surprise me as he has this ability in him to draw upon it whenever it’s needed.

“It was a great way to end his season with five straight one putt birdies. Rory just has the heart of a lion.”

Bannon is by nature quietly-spoken and, unlike a number of high-profile coaches, never one to steal the limelight, and that was so evident last Sunday in allowing McIlroy to bask in the glory.

However, Bannon was also one of the first McIlroy singled out when he proudly stroke from the Earth Coure final green.

And having witnessed McIlroy capture the 10th pro title of his short pro career, Bannon has set a goal on his 23-year-old golfing charger soon doubling that figure.

“Rory’s done this his whole life since he was three, four, five, six and seven years of age, and he’s always been like 10 years ahead of his time and that’s the case now at this level,” said Bannon.

“He’s had five wins this year and this is his 10th pro career win.

“I had said to him at the start of the year let’s make it 10 wins and he said to me I’ve only got four even though he wasn’t including winning Lake Malaren last year.

“But I said ‘no’ 10 wins, and if you win 10 we can move on towards winning 20. That’s one of our goals.”

Bannon will team-up again with McIlroy in coming weeks at the Bear’s Club in Florida before the first serious steps of McIlroy’s 2013 season starting from January 7 at the Els Club in Dubai.

McIlroy will work out of the Butch Harmon Coaching Academy where fellow Northern Ireland pro Justin Parsons is based.

It will present McIlroy with 10 straight days to further break-in his new Nike clubs before his opening event of his sixth professional season, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and a confrontation with Tiger Woods.

And with Nike to soon herald McIlroy’s signing to a reputed $200m super deal, Bannon joined the chorus of top-line professional colleagues declaring McIlroy will have no trouble adapting to Nike equipment.

“Rory will have no trouble switching clubs as he will be going from a bladed club to another bladed club,” said Bannon.

“Maybe if he was switching from a cavity-backed club or muscle-backed club to a blade then there might be a little worry. But because he will be going from blade to blade he should be fine. He’s also got a good period of testing and practice before he starts next season.”