WOW! - MclIroy Delivers in Record-setting Fashion

His Lowest 72 Hole Total of 268 will likely stand for years to come.  Jack Nicklaus set the bar at 272, back in 1980 at Baltusrol, and no one had gone lower until McIlroy's performance.

He also set the lowest score in relation to par at 16 under, which the USPGA will probably not want to see bettered, regardless of the weather which even MacIloy admitted helped him out.  He was actually 17 under at one point.

His wire-to-wire victory also meant 36 and 54 hole scoring records and he was the youngest player to win the US Open since Bobby Jones.  His fairways-in-regulation and greens-in-regulation statistics were also unprecedented.

In all he set 12 records over the past four days.

And he did it all with poise and youthful confidence that endeared him to everyone who witnessed it, especially after shooting a fourth round 80 at August just eight weeks ago (also a record by a tournament leader at The Masters.)

His free flowing swing matches his carefree personality and stands in stark contrast to the guarded Woods who is still chasing Jack's 18 majors.  It will be even tougher for Woods to accomplish that feat now that McIlroy has had a taste of major glory.

Tiger's Tail of Pain

 A chronology of Tiger Woods' injuries (From A.P. 06/07/11):

June 7, 2011 — Decides not to play the U.S. Open because his left knee and Achilles is not fully healed. It is the first time he has missed the U.S. Open since 1994, after he graduated high school.

May 12, 2011 — Withdraws after nine holes at The Players Championship after a 42, his worst 9-hole score at the TPC Sawgrass. Woods had a noticeable limp over the final hour. "The knee acted up, and then the Achilles followed after that, and then the calf started cramping up. Everything started getting tight," he said.

April 26, 2011 — Reveals he has a minor sprain of medial collateral ligaments in left knee and minor strain of his left Achilles, and he will miss the Wells Fargo Championship.

Dec. 11, 2010 — Has cortisone shot in his right ankle because of lingering soreness in his Achilles.

May 9, 2010 — Withdraws on the seventh hole of the final round at The Players Championship with what he fears is a bulging disk. He later says it was inflammation of a joint in his neck. He doesn't miss a start, returning a month later at the Memorial.

December 2008 — Ruptures the Achilles' tendon in his right leg.

June 24, 2008 — Eight days after winning the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in a 19-hole playoff, has reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and to repair cartilage damage. He misses the rest of the 2008 season and is out for eight months.

June 2008 — Advised in the weeks before the U.S. Open that he has two stress fractures of the left tibia and should expect to be on crutches three weeks, out of golf for an additional three weeks.

April 15, 2008 — Two days after his runner-up finish at the Masters, has athroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair cartilage damage. Decides against repairing ligament to avoid longer rehabilitation and to play the other three majors. Misses Quail Hollow, The Players Championship and the Memorial.

July 2007 — Ruptures his anterior cruciate ligament in the left knee when he took a misstep while running on a golf course. He wins five of his last six tournaments he plays, including the PGA Championship.

Dec. 12, 2002 — Has surgery to remove fluid inside and around the anterior cruciate ligament. Misses the season-opening Mercedes Championship for the first time, and returns 10 weeks later to win the Buick Invitational.

December 1994 — As a freshman at Stanford, has surgery to remove two benign tumors and scar tissue in his left knee.