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Most Impactful Golfers this Decade: Who Joins Tiger Woods?

By West Valentine

FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK - MAY 17: Tiger Woods of the United States and Brooks Koepka of the United States walk along the course during the second round of the 2019 PGA Championship at the Bethpage Black course on May 17, 2019 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK - MAY 17: Tiger Woods of the United States and Brooks Koepka of the United States walk along the course during the second round of the 2019 PGA Championship at the Bethpage Black course on May 17, 2019 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 25: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland poses with the FedExCup and TOUR Championship trophies after his victory over Ryan Moore with a birdie on the fourth extra hole during the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 25, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 25: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland poses with the FedExCup and TOUR Championship trophies after his victory over Ryan Moore with a birdie on the fourth extra hole during the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 25, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Rory McIlroy

Rory has been named the PGA Tour Player of the Year three of the last ten years – more than any other player on Tour. He is tied for the most majors during that time also – four – with Brooks Koepka. These accolades alone give him a claim to the best golfer of the last ten years. But as I said, I’m interested in the most impactful golfers.

So why does Rory make my list other than being arguably the decade’s most consistent performer?

For me, it has a lot to do with the British Open returning to Northern Ireland after 70 years and the 2016 Ryder Cup.

The British Open at Royal Portrush was no doubt the work of hundreds of folks across the country. However, I’m pretty certain they all had one thought in the back of their heads – Rory is going to win it. Until Lowry’s amazing 61, the lowest score at Portrush was a 61 shot by a then 16-year old Irishman named Rory McIlroy.

It didn’t start well with Rory going OB on his opening tee off. Little did the locals know that the manufactured fairy tale they imagined would end in an equally storybook finish with Irishman Shane Lowry hoisting the Claret Jug.

I’m sure there was always a plan to get The Open back to Ireland. I’m sure it would have happened at some point. But I have an inkling that it happened in 2019, at Royal Portrush, in no small part to the R&A seeing an opportunity to reward Ireland and her favorite golfing son.

The other event where Rory had a huge impact on golf was his performance in the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine vs. Patrick Reed.

Since the USA won at the Belfry in 1993, we’ve only brought the Ryder Cup home three times in 12 attempts. Over the years, the European team has had some stalwarts who defined their passion for the Ryder Cup. Seve was the Godfather, Sergio the heir. Ian Poulter loves to mix it up, but his prime, as with Sergio’s, is behind him. So who will be this generation’s Seve?

Enter McIlroy.

His match with Patrick Reed at Hazeltine, particularly holes 5-9, were the most exciting and wild moments in the history of the Ryder Cup. I’ll stand by that. It took the entire competition to a new level that has reinvigorated not only the Ryder Cup but other team golf events like the Presidents Cup as well.

McIlroy seems set to be the next great Ryder Cup player and a future Captain. I’m betting he’ll be part of the next ten Ryder Cups and play a critical role in many of them.

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