Actions speak louder than words. So for Rory McIlroy, a missed cut in Abu Dhabi in his opening event of the 2013 season was far from ideal. The world No.1 was the talk of the sports world at the beginning of the week as Nike Golf announced his arrival as their newest and most significant signing. He is believed to have signed one of the biggest sponsorship deals in sports history with figures of $200 million over five years being suggested.

At the heavily stage-managed launch by Nike, McIlory confirmed he was making a wholesale change to Nike products throughout the bag. After an eight-week break since he closed out the 2012 season in stunning style up the road in Dubai, the plan for the new year was all about change. He would be playing a driver, fairway woods, irons, putter and ball, all made by Nike. Except that by Friday at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship he had reverted back to his old Titleist Scotty Cameron putter for the second round.

It’s a new phase in McIlroy’s life and career. An established professional of five seasons, with so many expectations realized and so much hype justified, the two-time major champion and undisputed world No.1 was ready to move to a new level. Part of this was his long-held dream to become a sporting brand ambassador on a par with the likes of his heroes Tiger Woods, tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and footballer Wayne Rooney of McIlroy's beloved Manchester United.

With the Nike deal signed and no more logos or brands on public display other than the “Swoosh”, McIlroy is in the perfect position to focus all of his attention on his true goals, those of winning major titles and in the short term, gearing up for the Masters at Augusta and the realistic ambition of winning his first green jacket. No longer does he play for money, he has riches beyond his wildest dreams and he’s only 23. All that he lacks are air miles in the competitive sense with his new equipment.

Mcilroy’s performance in this pipe opener for his season in Abu Dhabi was far from satisfactory, but he will take it on the chin. He’s too good not to sort his game out and as his caddy JP Fitzgerald has stated, “he could play with a hockey stick and orange and still win!”

By the sound of it McIlroy’s off-season was far from relaxing. High altitude training and some downtime in Colorado with his girlfriend, the tennis player Caroline Wozniacki was followed by trips with her on the tennis circuit to South America.

After a few relaxing days celebrating Christmas at his new home with his parents and the Wozniacki family, he was quickly into some club testing with the Nike gurus at the Bear’s Club in Palm Beach near his Florida home, before flying to Australia to support his girlfriend as she warmed up for the Australian Open.

He returned to Dubai where he began an intensive week-long series of club fitting and testing at the Els Club before driving to Abu Dhabi for a busy few days of hype regarding his launch as the new face of Nike Golf and another distracting day of speculation over the election of a new Ryder Cup captain. One in which he became very much caught up in as a major supporter of Paul McGinley.

McIlory's very public show of support and outward displays of a conviction regarding how the captaincy issue should be dealt with, gave us a glimpse into the strength of mind which he possesses.

He will be smarting at his poor display and missed cut at Abu Dhabi. With four weeks until his next appearance in Arizona at the Accenture World Match Play, we should expect to see a more commanding performance from McIlroy as he truly begins his build-up to Augusta.

This performance was far from perfect and not what Nike will have desired, but at the end of the day there’s only one man that matters and he will be ready to continue his march towards his sporting destiny. The time for talking is over. Let’s see some action Rory. Just do it.

Paul McGinley emerged as the new European Ryder Cup captain after receiving the very public backing of the key members of last September's winning team at Medinah.

Led by world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, the core group of stars such as Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari made their opinions known after it appeared that Colin Montgomerie might make a surprise return to the role for 2014.

The powers that be took note and it resulted in a very popular victory for the veteran Irishman, himself a former Ryder Cup hero.

There was intense speculation as to who would lead the Europeans into battle against the U.S. next year at Gleneagles in Scotland. McGinley had set out his stall well in advance and had the support of many of the leading players who have formed the nucleus of the team in recent years.

It was not without foundation. McGinley had played on three winning Ryder Cup sides and was lauded as the man who holed the winning putt when he memorably halved his match with Jim Furyk in 2002 at The Belfry in England.

Nike unveils McIlroy as Tiger's heir apparent

His stints as captain of the Great Britain & Ireland team in the Seve Trophy have all been winning ones, most notably in 2009's victory over Continental Europe when he gave enormous responsibility to debutant McIlroy. McGinley gained enormous respect from players at the Ryder Cup in both 2010 and 2012 when he was a key backroom member, officiating as vice-captain for Montgomerie and then Jose Maria Olazabal.

Attention to detail was his hallmark, added to a great understanding of what the players needed during a unique week of intense competition. It set him apart from his peers and led to a surge in player power when it came to the election of the 2014 captain.

As 2011 British Open champion and fellow two-time vice-captain Darren Clarke entered the fray to vy for the position and subsequently Montgomerie, it had looked unlikely that McGinley – with a less decorated CV as a player - would get the nod.

As speculation intensified and Clarke eventually pulled out of the race, it was essentially left to Montgomerie and McGinley to battle it out, while the likes of Sandy Lyle, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Paul Lawrie were also considered.

The decision lay with the Tournament Players Committee of the European Tour to decide on the outcome. Montgomerie was felt by some in the hierarchy to be a good choice.

Given his stature in the game, Ryder Cup heroics as a player and winning credentials as a captain, the 49-year-old Scot had hoped to  return against an American team led by golfing legend Tom Watson.

In the end the silent dignity of McGinley during the final stages of this election alongside the powerful tool of Twitter, where players made their feelings known on the subject of the candidates’ merits, eventually won the day.

Player power was very much in force. The strident way in which golf's new superstar McIlroy pledged his support to McGinley led to a result that has been roundly welcomed.

Two major championship wins at 23 years of age: Rory McIlroy’s validation as a world-class golfer continues to grow and grow.

He has become the sixth youngest multiple major winner in history, and how timely that he pushes Tiger Woods to seventh on that list, eclipsing him by a mere five months.

McIlroy is not targeting Woods' records however and is emphatic when discussing his own potential to carve out a distinguished career: “I mean, I've won my second major at the same age as he had. But he went on that incredible run like 2000, 2001, 2002 and won so many.

“You know, I'd love to sit up here and tell you that I'm going to do the same thing, but I just don't know.”

He talks about winning his third major and, given his ability to tame Augusta National like he did for 54 holes last year, it could conceivably come at the Masters in eight months time. He’ll still be only 23.

There isn’t a major that he isn’t capable of winning and he’s led all four at some stage in the last two years, winning two. No other golfer of McIlroy’s vintage is coming remotely near this level of performance on a regular basis.

Comparisons with Woods are inevitable, but McIlroy prefers to do it his way.

It’s worth noting McIlroy had a longer apprenticeship in the pro ranks before winning his first major, turning pro at 18 and winning the U.S. Open at 22. Woods turned pro a couple of months before his 21st birthday and a mere four months after getting the key to the door, he was wearing a green jacket.

Also worth noting is that Woods completely overhauled his swing after winning the Masters in 1997, therefore he didn't claim his second major title until he was 23.

Woods has 14 majors right now and is the greatest player of the modern era. McIlroy respectfully acknowledges this but is clearly on his own mission towards greatness.

He continues to improve on so many levels, but the addition of a second major success at such a young age can only propel him to further heights.

After winning the Honda Classic in March, McIlroy jumped to No. 1 in the world rankings.

It was another peak scaled, yet his performances in the subsequent major championships were subjected to intense scrutiny by the golfing media, citing his love affair with Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki as a cause for his sudden lethargy on the golf course.

Four missed cuts in five tournaments was certainly out of character, but they also served to alert McIlroy to the need to work harder on his game and prioritize his time.

Timing is everything and for McIlroy, the endless hours of work with coach Michael Bannon throughout the summer has paid off.

They couldn’t have timed it better. McIlroy seized the moment at Kiawah Island and showed remarkable maturity and guile, on a brutally tough golf course with the world’s best in attendance, to take control of the tournament in the third round before marching to a record-breaking eight shot victory at the final major of the year.

It was a game changing performance in South Carolina as McIlroy separated himself from his peers and dominated the field with a breathless display of shot making.

Fittingly, one of his main sponsors is a sunglass manufacturer. The future is so bright for McIlroy, he really does have to wear shades.

Golf has just been injected with a breath of fresh air, and it’s taken a dramatic Masters Tournament for the golf world to fully appreciate what it now has on its hands.

Bubba Watson is the new Masters champion. Very few could have predicted that he would have the tenacity to bring this one home, despite recent good form and an outrageous talent to boot.

"Bubba Golf," as he calls it, can only be played by the owner: Booming drives, all played with shape, allied to a hit-it-find-it-and hit-it-again approach. It's very refreshing on the professional golf circuit. He plays the game in a unique way, relying totally on creative shot-making that cannot be taught.

The 33-year-old has never had a lesson in his life. Quite simply, he is one of the most naturally-gifted golfers to ever grace the game. The big-hitting American just couldn’t manage his own talent well enough when he first came out, and he has been misunderstood by most.

They say that the cream will always rise to the top, yet even with Bubba’s talent, a Masters win was something of a stretch. “I never got that far in my dreams,” he said afterwards when asked to share his thoughts on an improbable win.

It was his fourth PGA Tour victory since 2010 and his first major triumph. Having lost a three-hole playoff for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits 19 months ago, few could still have predicted that he would win the biggest prizes because of his perceived image as a goofy kid in a six-foot three-inch body.

A committed Christian who doesn’t smoke or drink, and who tweets about skateboarding stunts, can often be misunderstood. But the man who raises vast amounts for charity, who has just adopted a little boy with his wife Angie and whose shot-making ability is something to marvel at, that is the man who has claimed the 76th Masters Tournament.

A home-bird from Bagdad, Florida (population under 2,000) - someone who was on the receiving end of some harsh criticism for his innocent statements about Parisian landmarks last July – has had the last laugh here at Augusta National.

Playing alongside South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, who outrageously holed his second shot at the par-five second hole in the final round for a historic albatross, Watson was unperturbed. His birdie on the same hole showed his newfound calmness. A back-nine burst of four consecutive birdies vaulted him into a two-horse race for the title with the 2010 British Open champion.

It was eventually decided on the second hole of a playoff, when from the woods on the right side of the hole, Watson’s creativity and shot-making genius was given the perfect canvas. Hooking a wedge a full 40 feet in the air through a gap in the trees to the 10th green nearly 140 yards away was, quite simply, breathtaking.

He now has a first major title, a cheque for $1.4 million and a whole host of new fans who have come to appreciate that golf has a new superstar, one who is incredibly good for the game.

As we mark the April 9 birth date of golf’s last great artiste, the late Seve Ballesteros, it is fitting that we herald the arrival of a new golfing genius - and his name is Bubba!

Augusta National, where the Masters Tournament is being played for the 76th time, is without doubt the place to be in world golf right now. It is a venue that strikes a chord with even the most casual of sports follower because of its unique qualities.

It’s the only one of professional golf’s four “majors” to be played at the same venue each year. It awards a green jacket to its winner and guarantees an annual invitation to that special player to play in the tournament for the rest of their competitive career.

It celebrates the values of its founder Bobby Jones through its tight rein on old-school adherence to etiquette and tradition. In other words, you behave yourself! It is no surprise that Augusta's club president refused to comment publicly this week on the debate over female membership - it is not their style.

There is no other place quite like Augusta and, as a result, demand for tickets is at a premium. Grown men, captains of industry and regular golf fans are all like children anticipating Christmas. This is the Disneyland of golf and, quite simply, the only show in town.

This year spring has come early to this part of the American South, and as a consequence the azaleas were in full bloom ahead of time, so the traditional color associated with the broadcast on television of places like "Amen Corner" (holes 11, 12 & 13) will not be as spectacular, but the golf surely will.

It is arguably the most eagerly-anticipated Masters of recent times because of a number of factors.

Tiger Woods is back to full health, it would appear, and after a victory in Florida last month (Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Invitational was Tiger’s 72nd PGA Tour win) he has rarely looked as relaxed and confident since his previous one in 2009. Rory McIlroy is being dubbed the heir apparent to Woods, and at 14 years his junior the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland has the world at his feet.

McIlroy’s implosion on the final day last year was, on reflection, the making of the man. Taking a four-shot lead in the last round, he unraveled as the sports world looked on helplessly. Within 10 weeks, however, he regrouped, looked deep inside himself and found the solution that only he could find, and emerged triumphantly as the winner of the U.S. Open at Congressional. What a turnaround.

He carries a huge weight of expectation on his return to Augusta National, but has clearly matured into a confident, proven winner who was recently elevated to world No. 1 status after his most recent victory on the PGA Tour just three weeks ago.

He has since lost that crown to England’s Luke Donald, who many believe to be a real threat at this year’s tournament. Donald is in the best form of his life, and having achieved everything in his sport except a victory in one of golf’s four majors, he really does look ready to take the next step into an elite club.

What is fascinating about this year’s Masters is the number of form horses who are peaking at the right time. This tournament has been their focus all year so far, and now comes the moment when they hope all that practice can be celebrated.

American idol Phil Mickelson is looking for his fourth green jacket and can never be discounted. England’s world No. 3 Lee Westwood is in the best shape of his life, itching to get his first major. He has come close here in recent years, so perhaps his time has come.

No Australian has ever won the Masters, but in Adam Scott and Jason Day - who both tied for second last year – there is a distinct chance that a first title could be heading Down Under should they perform to the same level this week.

Finally, there is South Africa's low-key defending champion Charl Schwartzel, who birdied the last four holes to win by two shots last year. His is a special talent and more importantly, his is a special desire - a lethal combination around these verdant pastures of Augusta National.

Can history repeat itself? The world will be watching.

Tiger Woods' victory at Bay Hill was his 72nd on the PGA Tour. For the 36-year-old, that’s two victories for each year of his life.

The reality is that he’s now been in the winners’ circle on his home circuit 72 times in nearly 16 years on Tour. Pretty special and just one short of the legendary Jack Nicklaus and 10 behind Sam Snead's all-time record.

That he has come through a torrid time these last two and a half years, mostly self-inflicted, and re-emerged in the style of old, gives hope not least to himself regarding his next challenge: that of winning a major championship for the first time since the U.S. Open in 2008.

All eyes are on Augusta National next week and his bid to win a fifth Green Jacket at the Masters Tournament. The stage is set for one of the all-time great Masters, with so many of the world’s elite peaking for the first major of the season.

Woods caused some controversy recently when he cried off injured during the final round the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, but the former world no. 1 put paid to the predicable speculation about his general health by participating in the Tavistock Cup team event and then showcasing his well-being and excellent form at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill tourney, which he has now a record won seven times!

This was the Woods of old: with an armoury of shots on command and a greater confidence on the greens than recent form would have suggested.

To be fair, he was helped by the poor start of playing partner Graeme McDowell. The 2010 U.S. Open champion opened the final round of the Invitational with a nasty double bogey, thus increasing Woods’ lead to three, and the American was away, never to be caught.

Anything that GMAC threw at him, Woods was more than able to match. A two-horse race gradually turned into a one-man show. Woods was back, and boy did he look relieved to get this hurdle out of the way in the way that he loves, letting his clubs do the talking.

He is now back up to sixth in the world rankings, his odds to win the Masters have reduced and he is the bookies' favorite. Quite a turnaround from the clearly despondent figure who missed the cut by some distance at the final major of 2011.

The naysayers and doubters were shouting from the rooftops when Woods fired blanks at the PGA Championship in Atlanta last Augusta, and many had started to write him off as a slew of players in their twenties started to show their teeth in the biggest events. The Tiger factor looked like being a thing of the past, as youngsters like Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and Charl Schwartzel grasped their opportunities at elite level.

With Nicklaus’ record of 18 major victories seemingly out of reach for the newest golfing resident of Jupiter, Florida, all eyes have become more rigidly focused on those who represent the Tiger generation.

However, Woods' play at Bay Hill confirmed his status as the man who truly pushes the needle in terms of TV ratings, and his smile as the final putt went down showed to the world that he is where he needs to be: healthy and happy - and in pursuit of his deep-rooted ambitions.

Great to have you back, Tiger. The golfing world is better with you in it, playing like a champion.

Tiger Woods remains the biggest attraction in the world of golf. Despite a lackluster run that has lasted two full years, and being dogged by his off-course dramas, the former world No.1 has proven yet again why he can pull in a crowd with his season-opening appearance in the Middle East.

Abu Dhabi is an unusual place for him to start his season, but there were several key factors in his decision to begin the year on the European Tour.

Firstly, there was the lure of a healthy fee (estimated at $1.5 million) from sponsor HSBC to add value to its growing commitment to this hugely popular event. Secondly, there was the opportunity for him to kickstart his year by testing his latest mutation as a swinger of the golf club against the very best field in world golf. And thirdly, it represented a golden chance to begin his build towards the first major of 2012, the Masters Tournament in two months' time.

Woods has won the Masters on four occasions, most recently in 2005 when he defeated Chris DiMarco in a playoff and famously holed out his chip shot on the par-three 16th during a pulsating afternoon of golf. He's not won it since, and while tying the great Arnold Palmer for wins, he remains two precious victories away from Jack Nicklaus – who famously claimed his sixth Green Jacket at the age of 46 in 1986.

Majors are what motivate Woods the golfer. At 36 years of age he has more than enough time to match, and indeed surpass, Nicklaus' record haul of 18 major titles. With 14 majors in the bag, Woods has some serious achieving to do for the remainder of his career. While not impossible, it remains that he will have to win five more majors to become the undisputed "world's greatest."

That would represent a stunning career haul for any one of his peers. Only great rival Phil Mickelson comes close with four major victories - 10 shy of Tiger. It's now a question of desire, good health and smattering of good fortune.

Woods hasn't won a major since the U.S. Open in June 2008. His world imploded after crashing into a fire hydrant in November of 2009 and he has been in rehab, undergone surgery, been divorced and attempted several comebacks. He has been unable to tick all of the boxes, until now.

With a seemingly better balanced life off-course, new swing changes bedded in and a much healthier physique than has been the case in several years, Tiger Woods is back on the prowl.

For HSBC, he represents good value as the mirror of the bank's sports sponsorship and business strategies, helping spur growth in key markets like China, Brazil and here in the United Arab Emirates. Woods' inclusion in the field has the power to raise the non-golfing public's awareness of both the tournament and, most importantly, HSBC itself – one of the world's premier financial institutions.

Win or lose this week, Tiger Wood has returned to the stage that he thrives on, and that represents a win-win all-round.

Tiger Woods' erstwhile bagman, whose brain has clearly not engaged with his mouth since being set free by his old employer, has done it again - but this time it’s way more serious.

It was almost forgivable when caddy Steve Williams lost the plot last August, letting his emotions get the better of him in the aftermath of new boss Adam Scott’s impressive victory at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

Having been bound and gagged by the Woods camp for 13 years and mightily well paid for his efforts, the burly Kiwi was clearly miffed at the way he was unceremoniously let go by the former world No. 1  and let fly with a rambling diatribe about Australian Scott’s win being “the biggest victory of my life.”

On Friday night in Shanghai however, the hapless Williams chose to let fly once again at an awards dinner. Quizzed about his on-the-green interview with CBS television’s David Feherty in August, he quickly responded that “it was my aim to shove it up that black a**hole!”

Williams was viewed by many to be an idiot after his initial outburst in late summer. And now, as early summer hits the Antipodes, he has been roundly castigated for his latest comment - and this one is indefensible.

The digital age has now made it ridiculously easy to reveal information in an instant. So you can only imagine the urge felt by many in attendance at the HSBC Caddy of the Year Awards in China to divulge “Stevie’s” latest faux pas. The caddying fraternity are a ragtaggle bunch of nomadic vagabonds, and given the precarious nature of the job, their skin is very much of the thick variety. Williams, by far the most successful of them all, should know better - but clearly doesn’t.

It is true that these awards are a tongue-in-cheek affair and the banter quite merciless. Throw in a generous sponsor, an opulent setting, an invitation-only mix of players, bagmen and various insiders, and the concoction mirrors that of a stag party. Hence the demand that all comments made inside the room were off the record. In this day and age, that’s impossible.

Quick to apologize having initially been taken aback that many British broadsheets had chosen to report the incident, Williams stated on his website: "Players and caddies look forward to this evening all year and the spirit is always joking and fun.” He went on: "I now realize how my comments could be construed as racist. However, I assure you that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to Tiger and anyone else I have offended."

Unsurprisingly, Woods' agent Mark Steinberg also issued a statement. "We got multiple calls from people who sounded like they were leaving the caddy party," Steinberg said. "Tiger obviously wasn't there. He doesn't know exactly what was said. But if multiple reports - which all seem to be accurate - are true, then it's sad it's come down to this. It's a regrettable comment, and there's really nothing that Tiger can do or say. He's just going to move on."

With a round to go at the final World Golf Championship event of the year, Scott has also been forced to state his position. Despite widespread calls to ditch his caddy ahead of the upcoming Australian Open and Presidents Cup, the world No. 8 has stated that he is standing by his bagman.

"Everything in that room last night was all in good spirits and a bit of fun, probably taken out of that room in the wrong context," he said. When asked if Williams should be fired, Scott said: "I disagree with that.”

PGA Tour executive Ty Votaw stated on Saturday: “We'll have no comment publicly on this matter. The tour has the ability to discipline caddies of its members.” But Votaw, a lawyer, said later that "the fact that we don't have a comment at this time doesn't mean we'll not have one in future."

Ahead of a massively important two weeks for golf Down Under, with Woods and other big international names in town for the Australian Open and then the Presidents Cup, the focus has suddenly been diverted and the game certainly deserves better.

The old saying is, “What goes on tour ... stays on tour.” But only an idiotic fool could believe that to be the case now.

Professional caddies do much more than just carry a bag for tournament players, what they provide should not be underestimated.

Caddying is a very well paid job for those good enough to attain the best bags and the individuals who chose this nomadic existence now come from a wide variety of backgrounds and not just the caddy shack clique of years gone by.

Australian Steve Elkington was so pleased with his caddy Dave Renwick’s performance at the 1995 PGA Championship, where he defeated Colin Montgomerie in a playoff; he presented the Scot with his entire winnings.

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson always used the services of local caddies when they set about winning multiple British Opens. For them, local knowledge and a serious familiarity with the vagaries of links golf were worth several shots per round. Consequently, Tip Anderson, Jimmy Dickinson, Alfie Fyles, and Willie Aitchison became sought after figures by those on tour.

Nicklaus became so fond of Dickinson that he moved him to his club in Muirfield Village, Ohio, and set him up as caddymaster.

Nick Faldo won four of his six majors with a female caddy, the Swede Fanny Sunesson. Notoriously well organised and disciplined, she remained discreet and unwilling to give interviews to the media during her time with the Englishman. The sound of her boice unknown until she demanded hush from the spectators at a tournament.

A caddy is many things on Tour: friend, confidante, minder and most importantly, bagman. That last term may sound dismissive but it sums up the relationship which, let’s not forget, is a professional one.

We’re not talking Jeeves and Wooster territory here, but the modern day caddy has a multi-faceted role that does require a delicate ability when dealing with the often fragile mind of an elite sportsman.

While the pro is usually a self-obsessed, highly motivated performer, his looper requires the skills of a mind reader and part-time psychologist just to get through the working day.

Predicting everything from the weather conditions to the 36 hole cut mark is grist to the mill for the caddy. Judging when and where to say the right thing to your employer is an art form in itself and those who do it best invariably find themselves good employment on the lucrative professional circuit.

Lee Westwood is on record as saying that his caddy Billy Foster is the best in the world, and his credentials would certainly suggest that after carrying the bag for Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods.

At 46 years of age, he’s been making a living out of the game for over thirty years and does not suffer fools. It is well know that he fired Westwood’s stablemate Darren Clarke some years ago when he felt that the future British Open champion was not fulfilling his potential and in many ways, squandering his talent.

Chubby Chandler, who manages both Westwood and Clarke remembers going down on his hands and knees begging him to rejoin Clarke, which he did, but not after negotiating one of the best remuneration packages in the game!

Foster is always prepared; if there’s one thing that guarantees a P45 in professional golf it’s a caddy who doesn’t have his homework done.

A good natured and popular man on Tour, Foster would never have allowed such a venting of frustration as was witnessed last month when Steve Williams decided to open up to the media.

The old adage regarding the essential skills of caddying, namely: “show up, keep up and shut up” may not paint as accurate a picture of the modern day caddying life, but quite openly claiming some credit for a player’s victory, as Williams clearly did, made for uncomfortable yet compelling viewing.

On the back of losing his job as Tiger Woods long-time caddy, Williams was alongside his new employer Adam Scott for the biggest win of his career at the Bridgestone Invitational World Golf Championship.
Clearly buoyed by the Australian’s dominance, ultimate success and the loud cheers that he received from the galleries, Williams lost a sense of perspective with the world watching.

Upon leaving the green after his man had holed the winning putt, Williams lingered, he was ready to vent. And that he did, barely disguising his upset at being let go by Woods and describing the win with Scott as the best week of his life.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Woods as he accumulated thirteen majors didn’t even come close.

There’s no doubt that Williams unswerving loyalty and physical presence contributed hugely to the protective ring around Woods throughout his dominant years on Tour. Williams wasn’t the one hitting the shots, but he was the first layer of defence for Woods as he ruthlessly cocooned himself in pursuit of the game’s greatest titles and records.

It’s sad however that when the curtains came down on their working relationship that it quickly became mired in pettiness and recrimination. Sackings may be an occupational hazard in professional caddying, but there is no substitute for keeping your head down and your mouth shut.

It’s a grand slam of sorts already for Rory McIlroy and the 111th U.S. Open has only just begun. With his imperious opening effort of 65 at Congressional Country Club, he has now contended in all four Majors, and all in the space of the last 11 months. Despite his notorious capitulation at this year's Masters, here is a player moving to new level in his career.

The U.S. Open is designed to find you out, to level the playing field and offer a grueling slog, where level par is the desired winning number. We only have to recall Graeme McDowell’s winning performance of three over par last year at Pebble Beach and his grinding closing effort of 74 (three over par) to win the title, leaving Gregory Havret, Tiger, Ernie and Phil in his wake.

It was impressive then to see the 22-year-old McIlroy has so far shown no signs of scar tissue from Augusta. Playing alongside Dustin Johnson, who had his own disaster in this very event last year, and the five-time runner-up Phil Mickelson, the grouping is made for TV. But while the other two got beaten up by the course, McIlroy managed to hit 17 out of 18 greens, dropping no shots, and accumulating six birdies.

Assessing his performance, the Northern Irishman was keen not to get carried away by this opening effort: “I don't think conditions were that easy. I just managed to keep the ball in the fairway and find a lot of greens, and that was basically how I shot that score.” Golf commentators were not quite as circumspect, with conversations on Golf.com's forums speculating a new era of Tiger Woods-like dominance is starting.

Bear in mind how difficult the set-up of a typical U.S. Open course is, typically lengthened to over 7,500 yards and change, with narrow fairways, punishing rough and fast greens with tricky pins and then consider how it was reduced by McIlroy as he went in search of birdies.

“I birdied the 12th hole, hit a 3-wood and a sand wedge just like, I don't know, six feet past the hole (471 yards). I birdied 17. I hit a 3-iron and an 8-iron to ten feet (437 yards). Then I birdied the 18th, hit a driver and an 8-iron pin high left about 15, 20 feet, holed that 523 yards!). Then hit a 3-wood and a lob wedge into the 1st to six feet (402 yards). I birdied the 4th, hit a driver and a wedge to four feet just above the pin (470 yards!). Birdied 6, I hit a driver and a 3-iron just to the back fringe maybe 15 feet and two-putted that (555 yards with water on the right of the green!)," he told reporters.

McIlroy revealed that Jack Nicklaus wanted to "kick his backside" after the implosion at the Masters, maybe come Sunday the former great will be wanting to pat McIlroy on the back following a famous win ...