The unknown coach who guided Rory McIlroy from child prodigy to grand slam
No golfer since Tiger Woods has been more celebrated than Rory McIlroy and yet his lifelong coach remains a figure of mystery who could walk into most clubhouses unrecognised. Just ask Padraig Harrington, the three-times major champion who beat Michael Bannon in a play-off at the Irish Professional Championship in 1998.
'He was a club pro with a decent name but I wouldn't have known him [personally] at that stage. I'd know him more now — if anybody does. I don't know if anybody knows him,' Harrington says. Fellow Irishman and former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who regularly sees Bannon at tournaments while working as a television analyst, sings from a similar hymn book. 'He's a quiet man, very unassuming, very under the radar;
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Telegraph
27 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Why Oakmont is the world's scariest golf course
It had not happened to Paul Casey before and has not happened to anyone since. When the Englishman walked towards the recorder's hut in the 2007 US Open, his fellow pros on the practice green put down their putters and delivered a collective round of applause. Casey had not won – it was only the Friday – but with a 66 he had, for one day only, conquered Oakmont. 'That was a one-off, not just my score, but the reaction from the guys,' Casey told Telegraph Sport. 'Anywhere else and you shoot a good score and all you get from them is a grunt of 'Well done'. It just shows the difficulty of Oakmont. It bites and it bites hard.' Indeed, the joke in the clubhouse is that the 18 holes would be more appropriately placed in Transylvania than Pennsylvania. The members cherish its reputation as the hardest course on the major rotas – maybe too much – and love to repeat the statement of the founder's son, WC Fownes: 'Let the clumsy, the spineless and the alibi makers stand aside.' When his father, Henry Clay Fownes, designed the layout in 1903 he did so with the intent of replicating the unyielding nature of the links he encountered during his formative years in Britain. Fownes was not thinking major headaches for the multi-millionaire superstars of the next century, but only of the locals at that time and to this day they are unique in demanding their greenstaff ensure it is kept at championship severity. Another quip in the spikes bar is that the greens – described by Jack Nicklaus as 'the quickest and most daunting in the world' – are actually slowed down for US Open week. At least, the eavesdroppers assume it is a quip. Gilbert Hanse is not so sure. The renowned architect was brought in a few years ago to update the layout but was definitely not handed carte blanche. He was given one order from the club: 'It better not be easier when you're done.' Jim Furyk was born in Pittsburgh and knows the Oakmont denizens well. 'I don't know if they're gluttons for punishment, but they are very proud of their course and the fact that it's hosted more US Opens than any other,' Furyk, twice a runner-up here, said. 'I think a lot of them hold memberships at other clubs so as not to get their rear end kicked all the time.' They cannot wait to see their pride and joy taking lumps out of the game's elite. They are golfing ghouls, the type of sadists who would be minded to crowd on the bridges on the M6 just to watch the crashes, which is ironic as there is an actual motorway going through the middle of Oakmont Country Club. The course is elevated, so the drivers have no idea what they are zooming past. But if they turn off the radio and open their windows they might hear the wails coming from up above. Rory McIlroy shot an 81 in practice – ' I birdied the last two and felt I played well ' – and Scottie Scheffler has been similarly flummoxed. 'This is probably the hardest golf course that we'll play,' the world No 1 said. 'Maybe ever.' The ferocity of the challenge is written all over the scorecards. In its 98-year status as a US Open venue, 1,385 players have teed it up and only 28 have finished under par, according to the United States Golf Association. What makes it such a fearsome test? Four factors. The tightness of the fairways (at an average of 27 yards wide); the thickness of the rough (five inches tall and extra juicy); the malevolence of the bunkers (175 in number and callously deep); and the slopes and speed of the greens. The latter defines everything. The unparalleled putting surfaces – if you think Augusta's have gradients, they are but salt flats compared to these pistes – are so difficult to hold the ball on that the golfer must be playing their approach from the fairway. Nightmare fuel. 😱 #TeamTaylorMade — TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) June 10, 2025 Saying that, those errant off tee will only be chopping out from the rough anyway. And the thick stuff surrounding the greens means that you will see pitches travelling a few inches. There are hundreds of spotters, but the wise money is at least a few balls being lost in the cabbage. And there is no first cut, so this could occur a matter of feet from the fairway. With four putts an inevitability, expect fury from the participants. And if it does not rain, mutiny could be in the air. 'The fairways have strong slopes, making them extra narrow if firm, ' Paul McGinley, the former Ryder Cup captain and Sky pundit said. 'The greens are the fastest and most undulating in golf. Firm ground conditions would produce scoring carnage.' McGinley predicts a five-under winning total if the thunderstorms strike. But the forecasters say that it is 50-50. If the weather remains warm. McGinley thinks five-over could be the number as the galleries salute the first over-par major champion in seven years. That would of course raise the question, did they go too far? Well, the USGA is the arch master of the major cock-up so it would not be too great a surprise. It would be a crying shame, however, if negativity hit such a great course, with the iconic 120-yard 'Church Pews' bunker that runs between the third and fourth, and a cast-list of winners that reads like a golfing scripture. No doubt, it is fun to watch experts suffer and see them experience our own hacker nightmares, but when a track like this boasts a 301-yard par three (the eighth) then it only heightens the suspicion that the organisers and, in this case, the host club, are going out of their way to make the top flight look stupid. So much for the USGA's age-old promise that 'we are not trying to humiliate the best players in the world – we are simply trying to identify them'. . @TyrrellHatton vs. the rough at Oakmont. 😂 #USOpen — PING GOLF (@PingTour) June 10, 2025 The competitors should simply be thankful to their predecessors who threatened to boycott the 1962 US Open. The likes of Arnold Palmer demanded that they stop furrowing the bunkers with cynically shaped rakes known as ''the devil's backscratcher'. The metal instrument came with heavy tines which created two- to three-inch ridges. The pros were so infuriated that one commented: 'Those aren't bunkers, they are places to plant potatoes.' So Oakmont made a concession. But just the one. Top 10 toughest courses in golf 10. Augusta National, Georgia Masters: 1934-present Next to Muirfield and perhaps Turnberry, the home of the Masters is the best course on the majors rota. Demanding, unique and stunningly beautiful. 9. Royal Birkdale, England The Open: 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991, 1998. 2008, 2017 The best course in England is also the toughest if Mother Nature is in a links type of mood. Rolling through the dunes, the layout offers the complete challenge. If a links can be described as unfair then this is it. 8. Olympic Club, San Francisco US Open: 1955, 1966, 1987, 1998, 2012 Staged the 1955 US Open, which many believe presented the toughest post-war major challenge. The rough can be brutal, which is a problem as the fairways are tight. The slick, undulating greens only add to the torture. 7. Shinnecock Hills, New York US Open: 1896, 1986, 1995, 2004, 2018 Brilliant Long Island layout really does not need tricking up as the USGA stupidly did on the weekend of the 2004 US Open, neglecting to water the greens. If it is windy, then be prepared to be attacked from all directions. 6. Whistling Straits, Wisconsin US PGA: 2004, 2010, 2015 A merciless Pete Dye design. The brute on the shores of Lake Michigan is incredibly rugged, boasting more than 1,000 bunkers. A man-made links that is ultra challenging if Mother Nature is in one of her moods. 5. Bethpage Black, New York US Open: 2002, 2009. US PGA: 2019 This public course comes with a sign warning that ordinary members of the public would be wise not to play it. Many believe this Long Island eye-strainer is the toughest course in the United States for handicappers, with huge bunkers and small greens. It hosts this year's Ryder Cup. 4. Winged Foot, New York US Open: 1929, 1959, 1974, 1984, 2006, 2020. US PGA: 1997 When asked what the difficulty rating out of 10 he would give the New York State layout, Jack Nicklaus famously replied '11, or maybe 12'. At the 2006 US Open, it was a nightmare to get up and down from around the greens. 3. Kiawah Island, South Carolina US PGA: 2012, 2021 Host course of the infamous 1991 'War On The Shore' Ryder Cup, this Pete Dye creation in South Carolina boasts some stunning holes, especially the par-three 17th. If the wind is up it is a terrifying test. 2. Carnoustie, Scotland The Open: 1931, 1937, 1953, 1968, 1975, 1999, 2007, 2018. The beast on the Open rota. Jack Nicklaus says it is the hardest course in the world and if the elements comply then he is probably right. At the mercy of the North Sea, the weather whips in across a barren landscape. 'Carnasty', as it is known. 1. Oakmont, Pennsylvania US Open: 1927, 1935, 1953, 1962, 1973, 1983, 1994, 2007, 2016. US PGA: 1922, 1951, 1978 The jewel of Pittsburgh is a fantastic challenge which borders on the unfair if its incredibly undulating greens are too fast. It is the only course where the USGA asks the club to slow down the greens for the pros. Deep bunkers are sadistically placed.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Paige Spiranac sets pulses racing in revealing outfit as golf glamour girl previews US Open
Paige Spiranac has left fans in awe once again after previewing this week's US Open while wearing a very revealing outfit. The golf beauty offered her thoughts on the major championship over in Pennsylvania, where the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will battle it out at Oakmont Country Club. And just 24 hours out from the opening day, Spiranac - who boasts one million followers on X - took to the platform to preview this week's action in a stunning white and floral-patterned dress. She said in a video message: 'This is going to be a grueling test of golf. Oakmont is well bunkered with firm, fast greens and a thick rough thicker than a bowl of Oatmeal. It is going to be a true test from start to finish, every single shot.' When assessing her underdog picks for the tournament, Spiranac added: 'If you're looking at some dark horses, I'm liking Harris English and Ben Griffin. 'I'm looking for carnage this week and fingers crossed that we actually get an over-par winner.' US Open preview⛳️ — Paige Spiranac (@PaigeSpiranac) June 11, 2025 Spiranac has made a name for herself in the world of golf thanks to her eye-catching snaps in recent years, which has seen her gain a huge following online. But the social media sensation has landed herself a new gig after revealing last month that she will be stepping into a high-profile role in an up-and-coming golf league. The 32-year-old, who failed to make in on the LPGA Tour, is taking her golf knowledge to the Grass League - the first high-stakes par 3 golf league - where she will look to translate her social media success to the front office. In her typical glamorous fashion, the two-time Swimsuit Illustrated swimsuit model announced that she is now a 'suit' in a video on X. 'I got some big, high-powered executive job with Grass League, and they were like, "No, no, no, we see through your act. We know that you're a marketing and branding genius and that you pioneered this entire industry, and that you're actually good at golf,"' she joked in the video. 'And all this time I though I' just go down in history as the golf girl with a great set of t***,' she quipped.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
USGA chief insists the 'juice is not worth the squeeze' of changing equipment testing despite Rory McIlroy driver debacle
The Rory McIlroy driver debacle will not lead to a change in equipment testing, according to the United States Golf Association. The USGA, which carries out the pre-tournament checks, had faced calls from Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele to overhaul their procedures last month. Scheffler and McIlroy were both forced to change a non-conforming driver in the build up to the championship, after each was found to have become too springy, and the world No 1 went on to argue against the current method of randomly selecting only a third of each field for testing. Scheffler's view was that the entire field should have their equipment checked if the measure was to be considered fair. However, USGA chief Mike Whan, whose organisation is running this week's US Open, has dismissed that possibility, saying that the nature of any advantage and the prevalence of failures were both too small to justify. 'With what we're seeing today, it would be a greater interruption,' Whan said. 'The juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze.' He added: 'If I'm being honest with you, I think in terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town because I think when you talked about a rules violation or somebody who's playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality. 'I can tell you as a rules body, if we had concern about this incredible advantage, we would change the degree in which we test. 'But we think the testing that we're doing now is commensurate with the size of both the issue and the size of the reality of the issue. 'I know we tested this week. I couldn't tell you if we had failures, and if so, what those failures were at the time. 'I know that if we saw a trend that was alarming in terms of either how many or how far they were moving beyond (the permissible limit), we would change the way we approach it.'
