It is almost difficult to remember at this point what golf looked like just before a young Rory McIlroy emerged onto the scene as a teenager, with the Northern Irishman really making everyone sit up and take notice at the 2007 Open Championship.
Rory McIlroy won the silver medal for the best amateur that year at Carnoustie, with the then 18-year-old being the only player in the field who did not make a bogey in the opening round. By February 2009, he would have his first win on the European Tour.
McIlroy appeared to be destined for greatness almost immediately, winning four major titles before the end of 2014. Even in a 2024 season which has been disappointing by his standards, he has still managed to win three times. He certainly should have added a fifth major title to his resume at the US Open back in June.
So it is fair to say that McIlroy has lived up to expectations. But perhaps he has actually surpassed them by quite some way.
Rory McIlroy names English golfer who was backed to have a better career than him
Unfortunately, all sports have those players who did not manage to live up to the early hype for various reasons. And golf is no different – it was significant that McIlroy was in the final group alongside Matteo Manassero at the recent BMW PGA Championship given what the Italian has been through during his career.
And speaking to Kyle Porter and Normal Sport about some of those players who were being tipped for bigger things than he was, McIlroy revealed that one Challenge Tour player was certainly held in higher regard when they were starting out.
“So Ollie Fisher and I were like the two best ams coming out of the UK and Ireland. And he played Walker Cup, the one before I did. Got his tour card right away. And then, same thing. Sort of on and off the European Tour. He’s won a couple of European Tour events,” he said.
“But if you would have asked anyone 20 years ago … Everyone would have said Ollie Fisher was probably going to go on to have a better career than I’ve had. It’s hard.”
How Oliver Fisher’s career has played out
Fisher has definitely had some bright moments in his professional career. He won the Czech Open in 2011, while he became the first player in the European Tour’s history to shoot a 59 back in 2018.
However, the 36-year-old has struggled for consistency. He had already lost and regained his tour card before that win 13 years ago. And Fisher – who actually featured in LIV Golf‘s inaugural event – has been playing on the Challenge Tour this season. He has also been involved with Sky Sports’ coverage from time to time.
It surely acts as a reminder that so much has to go a player’s way over the course of the career. But seeing someone like Manassero work his way back – and winning on the DP World Tour for the first time in 13 years – also shows that this game never stops with the surprises.
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