At approximately 9:50 a.m. on Thursday, the most glamorous pairing in the 2011 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational will go off the 10th tee.
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John Kuntz, The Plain DealerRory McIlory opened some eyes on Wednesday when he said he would likely rejoin the PGA Tour on a full-time basis in 2012. "You have your favorite events and most of my favorite events seem to be on this side of the pond," he said before Thursday's opening round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. AKRON, Ohio -- The earth might stand still for a few minutes Thursday.
At least the earth on which the South Course of Firestone Country Club sits.
At approximately 9:50 a.m., the most glamorous pairing in the 2011 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational will go off the 10th tee, beginning the chase for a $1.4 million paycheck.
With pardons to the twosomes of Tiger Woods and Darren Clarke, Rickie Fowler and young Italian Matteo Manassero and top-ranked Luke Donald and reigning Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, the most stylish and sexy pairing over the first two rounds is defending champion Hunter Mahan and reigning U.S. Open champ Rory McIlroy.
Are they the most talented twosome in the field of 76? Probably not.
Are they the most decorated? No. The most feared? Not really.
But, what they have is star power and with the PGA Tour's biggest star, Tiger Woods, trying to emerge from a period of cloudiness, the Mahan-McIlroy matchup is one to watch.
Mahan, 29, was in seventh place entering last year's final round and shot a record-setting 6-under 64, the lowest final round by a winner since the Bridgestone became a WGC event in 1999. His final-round comeback was the largest in tournament history.
McIlroy was one of just two players to post four rounds in the 60s in tying for ninth last year but zoomed into prominence when he shot a second-round 66 and went on to win this year's U.S. Open by a stunning eight shots. Performances such as those just don't happen regularly. Not at Firestone and not in the U.S. Open.
McIlroy dropped a mini-bombshell on Wednesday when he said he was seriously considering a return to the PGA Tour. The 22-year-old from Holywood, Northern Ireland, currently ranked fourth in the world, gave up his Tour card during the off-season, much to the Tour's disappointment. That limited his playing time in the U.S.
"I spoke to a couple of guys from the PGA Tour today and I'm leaning towards taking my card up again, definitely," said McIlroy, who also won the 2010 Wells Fargo Championship and the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic. "I feel as if I play my best golf over here. I'm very comfortable in this country."
So comfortable, in fact, that he plans on house-hunting in Florida -- where else? -- after next week's PGA Championship in Atlanta.
McIlroy caught flack for blasting the weather conditions during British Open when he posted three out of four rounds over par and was out of contention on Saturday. When asked if it was the reaction to his comments that sparked his interest in returning, McIlroy laughed.
John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer"Last year was funny," said defending Bridgestone champion Hunter Mahan. "I really didn't play very consistently but I had two wins. And this year I've been much more consistent and have [seven] top 10s but haven't had any wins." "No, the weather," he said. "I feel as if my game really suits playing courses over here. I love Quail Hollow, Memorial, Akron. You have the [WGC-Accenture] Match Play, Honda, Doral, the Masters. You have your favorite events and most of my favorite events seem to be on this side of the pond. And, my game suits it over here."
Andy Pazder, PGA Tour chief of operations, said McIlroy would be eligible to return to the Tour if he applies for membership with 30 days after the Children's Miracle Network Classic in October, the final official money event of the season.
"If it works out that he's rejoining the PGA Tour, obviously we're ecstatic about that," said Pazder. "An immense talent and a personable young man, he'd be an asset for us, no question."
Did someone mention star power? McIlroy is not afraid to speak his mind, but realizes he has to find a more subtle method. He was involved in a minor brouhaha in Ireland when he got into a hissing contest via Twitter with American Jay Townsend, who criticized McIlroy's play during the Irish Open on the BBC.
McIlroy told Townsend to "shut up" and called him "a failed golfer."
"The whole Twitter thing was unfortunate," McIlroy said Wednesday. "I was going through my Twitter and saw the comments and just responded. That's the world we live in these days; everything is instant and everything is in the public domain. Maybe I'll think about things a little more carefully the next time."
If McIlroy rejoins the Tour, he would be required to play 15 tournaments or more next year in the U.S.
Adding to McIlroy's image is his life away from the course. He recently has been romantically linked to Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, the world's top-ranked female tennis player. He remains humble, downplaying comparisons to Woods and Jack Nicklaus.
"I've never paid attention to the comparisons or potential, or whatever, they say," he said. "Whether it be Tiger's 14 [major wins] or Jack's 18 or whatever. All I'm doing is looking for my second major and my fourth career win. That's all I can say about that."
Mahan, from Los Angeles, said he has learned from last year when he won more than $3 million.
"I've learned not to have expectations about how you play," he said. "Last year was funny. I really didn't play very consistently but I had two wins. And this year I've been much more consistent and have [seven] top 10s but haven't had any wins."
Still, he remains one the bright American stars under the age of 30 and recently teamed with Fowler, Ben Crane and Bubba Watson to film a video called "The Golf Boys." It was kind of a spoof on the Chicago Bears' 1984 Super Bowl Shuffle except a lot funnier.
"We were just trying to have a good time and the video definitely did that," Mahan said.