Rory McIlroy wasn’t even supposed to be in the first series of Full Swing but after what transpired in the crazy 2022 golf year, he simply couldn’t not be. Stop scrolling now if you want to avoid spoilers!
The final episode, ‘It has all come down to this’, is mainly split into two halves – the first at the 150th Open and the second at the Tour Championship, with McIlroy featuring prominently in both tournaments. Much of the LIV Golf drama is settled and St Andrews sets the scene as a metaphor for the PGA Tour and traditional pro golf sphere – history, tradition, legacy, champions.
Before that, though, Full Swing viewers are introduced to Rory McIlroy. The child prodigy that went on to win four Majors, we see his famous clip of him chipping golf balls into a washing machine on live TV and him practising his golf swing in the living room to a Nick Faldo instructional VHS.
It’s a great reminder that the multi-millionaire modern icon of golf came from humble beginnings in the suburbs of Belfast, Northern Ireland to realising his talent and becoming a global superstar.
McIlroy talks about his upbringing in the game and his relationship to Tiger Woods:
“I was obsessed with golf at that point anyway, but when Tiger came onto the scene it just took it to a new level,” he says. “I just remember watching Tiger play golf and it would have been on Sunday nights for us because of the time difference. He still is my hero. To a lot people he is golf. And I feel very fortunate for the relationship that we have but ever since then all I wanted to was try to be like him.”
McIlroy and Woods have grown to become close friends
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Fast forward to today and McIlroy is without a Major win in eight years despite becoming the PGA Tour’s de facto spokesperson and the biggest name in the sport behind his boyhood hero Woods.
The first half of the episode focusses on the tournament week of the 150th Open. Most of us will remember what happened. McIlroy was left heartbroken after coming up short as Australia’s Cameron Smith steamrolled past him on the back nine with putt-after-putt and birdie-after-birdie.
Smith’s Open Championship win, and awkward press conference, features in the final episode
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cam, at the peak of his powers, was on the verge of joining LIV Golf at that point – and we get to see the LIV questioning that came in his winner’s press conference.
“I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that. I think that’s…
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