Wozzilroy Twitter Account Showdown, the Infographic

For the full size infographic, click HERE

They've been an item since last summer. Young, rich, and at the top of their respective games, Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki are clearly a power couple... "a match made in sports marketing heaven", some have said.

Previous golf/tennis pairings - Martina Hingis and Sergio Garcia, Ana Ivanovic and Adam Scott, Chris Evert and Greg Norman, to name a few - have made a modicum of news, providing good back stories during major events like Wimbledon or the Masters, but... truth-be-told... these love affairs didn't much register beyond the rarefied radar of their respective niche sports.

The Wozniackilroy romance however, has the potential to transcend both golf and tennis thanks to the second nature social media skills of the two appealing protagonists. Their numerous celebrity hybrid names and recent appearances together at parties with the likes of Ronaldo and the Beckhams testify to the couple's growing social media sports star status.

Rumor has it their initial flirtation was conducted on Twitter, and there can be little doubt that both @McIlroyRory and @CaroWozniacki appreciate the value of a timely tweet, but how do they stack up against each other?  Well world rankings-wise, Rory is currently golf's world No.1, while Caroline... who held the No.1 spot in tennis as recently as January... has recently tumbled to No.4.  But who reigns supreme in terms of Twitter temerity? Well, I can tell you that... and I can present it with a colorful, graphically sophisticated visualization thanks to new infographic creation tools from visual.ly... and it looks like Rory's dominating in the Twitterverse too. For the moment. I have a distinct feeling that the fiercely competitive Caroline will be back to  No.1 in the Tennisphere before long, and... who knows... after seeing this perhaps she'll decide to challenge her boyfriend for supremacy in the Twittersphere. In any case, I'm guessing the #Wozzilroy hashtag will be a popular this year.

Follow @CaroWozniacki and @RoryMcIlroy on Twitter.

Number 1 Rors - The Awesome Ascension of Mr. McIlroy

Tiger Woods had the best final-round of his life at the windblown Honda Classic today, though he ultimately finished tied for second behind Rory McIlroy.  Some are saying it feels like the "dawn of a new golfing era," but before we go there,  let's look back, two... two-and-a-half years... to late September 2009.

A mere month before the ill-fated intersection of an Escalade and a Fire Hydrant,  golf was Tiger Woods and everyone else. He had no sustainable rivals.  Rory McIlroy had just turned twenty and was winding up a year of firsts - first win, first Masters, first Players Championship.  I wrote the post below at that moment in time, and rediscovering it today brought back the decidedly more innocent era when Tiger reigned supreme and Rory was the impish Ulsterman who swilled Champers and celebrated victory with his childhood sweetheart.

Rory McIlroy's Autumnal Weekend... Under Monty's Watchful Eye - September 29, 2009

 He wore dorky cool looking shades and whispered into his cell phone.

I'm guessing it was his girlfriend on the other end, wondering how things were going in Paris. Girlfriends do tend to wonder about such things... it's part of normal girlfriend behavior... particularly if you're dating a rapidly rising star like Rory Mcilroy... and you're only 16, like Holly is.

At Saint-Nom-La Breteche golf course, the weekend featured a pure cerulean sky and forests tinged with a warm ocherous glow. The International field was energized and upbeat, and the boys were getting on really well. However, for young Rory the mood this dazzling Autumn weekend was tempered by the disquieting presence of Colin Montgomerie.

Monty was in Paris to assess players for his 2010 Ryder Cup team and was already irked by the absence of a few guys he felt should have been in there, but weren't.

Rory also realized that his own reckless statement about the Ryder Cup was still fresh in the curmudgeonly captain's mind as well. It had been a careless thing to say; to refer to the revered Ryder Cup as an "exhibition match".

Yes, for a brief moment Rory had found himself channeling Tiger...then quickly realized Tiger would never have made the statement publicly. So there had been the backtracking, the smoothing things over, and on the surface everything seemed to be OK on this Autumnal French golf course, but Rory wasn't completely at ease. 



Once the matches got underway, and a fifth consecutive victory began to seem likely for Great Britain/Ireland, Rory felt like he could finally chill, and by the time he got to his match with Henrik Stenson... the match he wanted all week... he was able to win it, and win accolades from the international assemblage of top golfers. What's more, the once skeptical Mr. Montgomerie was now saying he wanted Rory Mcilroy out first for the Europeans at Celtic Manor... Rory would be asked to lead the charge as a Ryder Cup rookie.

So finally, in the waning Sunday afternoon sunshine the impish Ulsterman got to enjoy a bit of that idyllic weekend in France. He swilled champagne right out of the bottle and called Holly. Told her he missed her... and his new Ferrari. She laughed, the way shy 16-year-olds do. Knowing her boyfriend was destined for greatness but not knowing quite how to feel about it.

As for Rory himself, he's headed to Scotland and the Old Course at St Andrews for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Implausible as it may sound, he finds the Old Course easy. After all, he's played it 15 or 20 times... and the worst he's ever scored there in either his armature or professional career was a 69.

There's so much more I could write about Rory Mcilroy and his unique gift for golf. It'll be fascinating to watch him evolve... from this indian summer weekend at the beginning of his career... to whatever lofty heights he may reach over the next decade.

Photos: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images ❀ ❀

Golf Style: Persistent Perceptions of Sartorial Shortcomings

The Boys of the Bad Pants Open

A reputation, once it becomes ingrained in the minds of the masses, can be almost impossible to shake... and golf, over the years, has developed a sartorial reputation that's decidedly sordid.

Thanks to decades of garish polyester pants, generations of dorky saddle shoes and endless incidents of argyle abuse, golf fashion has become a joke in the minds of many... with Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack as its poster boy.  The perception persists, particularly among those who don't follow the sport, despite the wealth of sophisticated golf styles available today from top designers and a roster of young golf stars with who could hold their own on the runways of Paris as well as the fairways of Augusta National.

"Golf style is an oxymoron along the lines of airline food or congressional ethics."

So began a review of Nike's new Dunk NG Golf Shoes in Freshness, a new style/trend/consumer publication that addresses itself to a discerning community of global consumers.  The shoes, which were recently released in Japan, are of the popular street shoe/casual/sneaker-like variety, in other words, the antithesis of the aforementioned dorky saddle shoes and the review, after beginning with that inauspicious comparison ended on an optimistic note:

"... the brand is doing what it can to rehabilitate golf’s image. This Dunk NG, equipped with Scorpion Stinger Spikes and Tri-LOK system, features a crisp White/Court Green-Black colorway that injects a modicum of street style to the gentleman’s game. They still don’t make golf cool, but it’s a start."

The reviewer... by the sounds of it... isn't much into golf, and his perceptions are probably pretty representative of the non-golfing public in general.  For those of us more immersed in the sport - as spectators or players - it may be unsettling to think that despite the best efforts of designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste and Ralph Lauren... and even with stars like Ricky Fowler, Rory McIlroy and Ryo Ishikawa... golf, in the minds of many, still isn't considered cool.

Tiger's Beard, Ryo's "Makiroi" & Golf Guy Grooming

Tiger Woods, photo:Getty Images / / / / / / / / / Ryo Ishikawa, Photo: スポニチ

The Tiger Woods facial hair story is a couple of days old now, and while it's never officially trended on Twitter,  it has generated... and continues to generate... a steady stream of commentary/discussion.

Tiger Woods' Beard even has its own facebook page... and has been described by sports writers in a variety of creative ways, including "some kinda beard thing", "somewhere between a full beard and some chinstraps", and a sexy scruff. 

Golf fans and media types alike have clearly been intrigued and entertained by the recent Tiger transfiguration.  

Affable Andres Gonzales has a prodigious Foo Manchu and hair that flows past his ample shoulders. 
One of the most popular rookies on the PGA tour,  he's known as much for his unconventional grooming as for his unrequited public friendship with the aforementioned Tiger. 

2009 Open Championship winner Stuart Cink spoke about his decision to embrace baldness in a recent video for Dove® Men + Care, a line of grooming products developed specifically for men. It seems his wife Lisa was the one who suggested he take a razor to his remaining locks a few years ago... and he's never looked back.

Then there's  Ryo Ishikawa, the Japanese golf superstar frequently featured in the pages of this blog.  The so called Bashful Prince is anything but bashful when it comes to hairstyle experimentation. He's probably best known for the spiky, Poulter-inspired style that inspired his famous club cover.  I also remember an unusual asymmetrical look.   Then a couple of weeks ago, at the US Open,  Ryo was looking a lot like Rickie Fowler... so much so that fans were doing double takes.

This week the versatile Mr. Ishikawa is in South Korea for the Million Yard Cup, and seems to be stylistically inspired by another R: The teen is currently wearing a playful mop of curls that some in Japan are calling a "Makiroi".  

"Makiroi"... as you may have surmised... actually stands for McIlroy, and who better to be inspired by than the record breaking young US Open winner?  Ryo's spokesman suggested the style was simply created to go with both a visor and a flat biller cap, and indicated that he'd be wearing this style at Royal St. Georges next week for the 2011 Open Championship.

In any case, one thing is clear about Ryo and the other players mentioned here: many fans... and quite a number of sports writers... enjoy their unique looks and stylistic experimentation.

Ryo Ishikawa Poised to Pounce at the Mizuno Open

撮影：岩井康博  / Photo: Yasuhiro Iwa

Upon his return to Japan last week... after a T30 finish at the US Open...  Ryo Ishikawa spoke with characteristic humility, admitting, "I came to painfully realize just how big of a gap there is between me and the rest of the world"

The Japanese golf star... like golfers, golf journalist and golf fans everywhere... was reacting to Rory McIlroy's huge win Congressional Country Club. "He's close to me in age so it's been incredibly motivating, Ishikawa explained, "I hope I can get to that level myself one day." And at nineteen, I think it's safe to say that Ryo Ishikawa has time on his side.

Ryo is the youngest of the what Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee calls the three R's: Ryo, Rory and Rickie, an ultra-hip, uber-talented triad of young gun golf stars with aliterative forenames.

Tomorrow at the Mizuno Open, the young Mr. Ishikawa will be going into the final round, "poised to pounce", after shooting Saturday's lowest round of the day. Two shots behind the South Korean co-leaders, Kim Kyung-Tae and Bae Sang-Moon, Ryo finds himself in a tie for second with yet another South Korean, Cho Min-Gyu.

The DM I received this morning from my Ryo-afcionado friend Noriko, included a link to the photo above. "I think you love this photo" she wrote tweeted, Ryo got two eagles today."

Rory McIlroy: The Huge Win & Inevitable Girlfriend Tweets

“@thetylervaughn: currently, second most googled thing is "rory mcilroy girlfriend"...I hope this kid has a good team around him.” #awesomeless than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplySeath Lauer
SeathLauer23

I love that if you search for "Rory McIlroy," Google lists "Rory McIlroy girlfriend" as a related search.less than a minute ago via Twitter for Android Favorite Retweet ReplySandra Helsley
wordium

"@PeterBurnsRadio: Smart kid that McIlroy, no girlfriend in sight after the round. Catch & release program for the next few years for him"less than a minute ago via Twitter for Android Favorite Retweet ReplyDave
Illegal_Machine

Let's hope for Rory McIlroy's girlfriend that he won't be the next tiger... #usopenless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyAdam Jolly
theadamjolly

If Rory MCIlroy doesn't have the hottest girlfriend in Ireland, he will tomorrow.less than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyJaryd Wilson
JarydWilson

My dad wants to apply to be Rory McIlroy's girlfriend because he will be making about 4 million dollars today! Hahaha #gottalovehimless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMelissa Mohnal
momolissa

Hey there Rory McIlroy, need a girlfriend?less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMolly Phillips
Molly_Phillips

Rory Mcilroy - Holywood Legend With Major Dreams

Angus Murray via GOLF.com

He hails from Holywood.

Holywood, Northern Ireland, where Rory McIlroy's "legend" status is already sealed... and this weekend it looks like one of his Major dreams may well come true.

Matteo Manassero: A Second Win & Still Seventeen

I heard more than one golf fan lamenting the absence of Matteo Manassero at the Masters last week.

After all, a year ago he'd been the youngest ever to make the cut in Augusta.  He followed that up with a win at the Castello Masters in October and became the youngest ever to win on the European Tour.
 
Those accomplishments weren't enough to get him into this year's Masters however.  Though he'd gotten down to 55 in the world rankings, as a professional, he needed to be in the top 50 to make the field at the season's first major.

Happily, those legions of Manassero fans needn't lament any longer. Matteo won the Maybank Malaysian Open today, and is now well within within the numbers... at 35th in the world... for the three remaining majors. He accomplished his win in style too, narrowly defeating Gregory Bourdy and Rory McIlroy, despite valiant challenges from both.

Paying tribute to Seve Ballesteros, who he described as "the kind of player I wanted to be" Matty kissed the massive, beribboned cup and went off to celebrate his 18th birthday.

April 16, 2011 - Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images AsiaPac

Water Rides, Turtle Rehab & Golf - Rory McIlroy in Dubai

Back in February of 2009, Rory McIlroy had his first European Tour win at the tender age of 19.  He was instantly ordained The New Sensation, impressing everyone with his gutsy game and candid, casual style.  The win came at the Dubai Desert Classic and earned him a multitude of fans, in middle east and around the world.

Two years later the affable player from Northern Ireland has firmly established himself as one of the game's most promising young guns, having now won on on the PGA Tour,  and made his way into the top ten in the world rankings.  A few months ago he represented Europe in the Ryder Cup.  And he's had quite a few Jagerbombs a bit of well-documented fun along the way... which I think is one of the things that make him so appealing.  The youthful Ulsterman seems to have a remarkable ability to enjoy his downtime.

Right now, he's back in Dubai... scene of his breakthrough win... getting ready to take to the fairways of Emirates Golf Club later this week, taking on the world's best golfers in the 22nd Dubai Desert Classic.   But...true to form... young Rory is finding time to fit some non-golf awesomeness into his schedule:  A couple of days ago he fed sharks at the Dubai Aquarium and helped out with their Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project.  Later on... in keeping with the aquatic theme... he hit the funnels and slides at Wild Wadi Water Park.

No question about it, the kid knows how to get the most out of life... on and off the golf course.  Go Rory!

Photos by David Cannon/Getty Images Europe

HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship - Lessons with Rory

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Rory Mcilroy is known for his classic swing, jovial style and meteoric rise into golf's upper echelons.

The 21-year-old Ulsterman, whose impish looks belie a steely will, has already chalked up a victory on both the European and the PGA Tour, and was recently part of Europe's winning team at the 2010 Ryder Cup.

As we've been reminded so often of late, golf is a global game, and the talented Mr. Mcilroy, a seasoned world traveler who's strutted his impressive swing in dozens of countries... and on multiple continents... personifies this. He seems to fit in everywhere, and adapt quickly to the cultural nuances of new places.

Now it seems Rory's gone one step further. In anticipation of the upcoming HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship he appears to have been studying more than the desert greens and newly fortified bunkers of the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Rors, as he's affectionately known, has actually picked up some Arabic, and he demonstrates it in this video:



The clip is actually part of a contest taking place on the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship facebook page: for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2011 championship you're invited to comment on the video, stating what you think Rory is saying and how you rate his Arabic skills. Some amusing reactions to the bi-lingual boy wonder have already been registered.

The tournament takes place from January 20th - 23rd. With the stellar field and awesome venue it promises to be ultra-exciting. There'll be lots of compelling content on the Facebook page too... so it's well worth liking.  You can also follow the tournament... and Rory... on Twitter.  Who knows, we may even see him tweeting in Arabic.

(Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images Europe - January 22, 2010)

(Video via the Abu Dhabi Championship Facebook page)

Of Ryder Cup Jaegerbombs and Euro-US Banter

Rory McIlroy shared details of what sounds like a festive post-Ryder Cup evening.

It appears the solid gold trophy was put to good use.  Further tweets indicate that a rousing ping pong competition ensued, with Woods/Mickelson dominating the table.