When Rory McIlroy burst onto the scene, it looked like there was no limit to what he could achieve.
Some thought Rory McIlroy could become the next golfer to challenge Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 major wins, after the Northern Irishman won four major championships in his first four years on the PGA Tour.
While McIlroy achieved the career grand slam in 2025, Nicklaus’ record has never been threatened, but it’s a testament to the way he was viewed when first entering the sport.
McIlroy took the mantle from Tiger Woods as golf’s biggest superstar, becoming world number one for the first time in 2012.
Two-time major winner Greg Norman had high praise for McIlroy during his rise to the top, saying he could do something to Woods that no one else ever could.
Greg Norman said Tiger Woods was ‘intimidated’ by Rory McIlroy
McIlroy’s rapid ascension coincided with Woods’ decline, making it easy for fans to say that the young star had taken the torch from the greatest golfer of all time.
In September 2012, McIlroy was a two-time major winner and a soon-to-be Ryder Cup winner at the Miracle at Medinah. Norman said that Woods was intimidated by McIlroy, who he predicted would be the best player in the world for the next 15 years.
He told FoxSports, “What I’m seeing is that Tiger’s really intimidated by Rory. “When have you ever seen him intimidated by another player? Never.
“But I think he knows his time’s up, and that’s normal; these things tend to go in 15-year cycles. Jack (Nicklaus) took it (the baton) from Arnold (Palmer). I took it from Jack, Tiger from me, and now it looks like Rory’s taking it from Tiger.”
His prediction wasn’t far off. While McIlroy had a major-winning drought, he’s been the constant superstar in the sport since Norman’s comments. 13 years on, and he became the sixth man to win all four majors, and McIlroy helped Europe to an away Ryder Cup win for the second time in his career.
Woods’ time wasn’t completely up, as Norman suggested. However, while Woods won the 2019 Masters, he was never the same player from 2012 onwards, following a series of injuries.
Norman saw the passing of the torch, but Woods and McIlroy were quick to dismiss any intimidation factor.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s response to Greg Norman’s intimidation comments
Woods was the ultimate alpha of his generation. He was the intimidating factor, and he was seemingly unshakeable.
So while McIlroy had the on-course success as Woods struggled in the early 2010s, it’s difficult to say that he had the mental edge over the then-14-time major winner.
McIlroy said as much himself. He joked: “[Tiger’s] got a new nickname for me, actually. He calls me ‘The Intimidator’.
He then dismissed any notion that he could intimidate Woods: “How can I intimidate Tiger Woods? I mean, the guy’s got 75 or whatever PGA Tour wins, 14 majors. He’s been the biggest thing ever in our sport.
“How could some little 23-year-old from Northern Ireland with a few wins come up and intimidate him. It’s just not possible. I don’t know where he got that from, but it’s not true.”
Woods dismissed the idea that he was ever intimidated by McIlroy or anyone else during his career. He said, “No one is the size of Ray Lewis who is going to hit me coming over the middle.
“This is a different kind of sport. We go out there and we play our own game, and see where it falls at the end of the day.
“This is about execution and going about your own business. Here, no one is affecting any shots.”
In fairness, Woods affected other players’ shots by his mere presence, but it’s hard to imagine a young McIlroy having that effect on him!
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