Automatically through the permanence of their records. Proactively by sharing their stories and accumulated wisdom. Munificently through philanthropy that leaves the game and the world better. Historically, no group in golf has had more to give, or given more, than the players in its pantheon, from Harry Vardon to Tiger Woods. The current professional game, however, seems preoccupied with tak- ing, leaving its precariously perched administrators nothing but headaches. Will playing records lose all context? Will golf’s top names stop replacing their metaphorical divots? Will the pantheon close? Sorry, doom-loop moment. Actually, professional golf remains full of givers; they’ve just been drowned out by all the hammering on the framework agreement. But the most generous among them has risen above the noise: Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman’s game is a gift, of course – not quite in the pan- theon but at age 34 with a shot. More important to the subject at hand is that no matter how he plays, McIlroy stands out for having the extra dimension. Despite the demands and often disori- enting forces of fame, not to mention the psychic pummelling meted out by a sport that has caused many past stars to become more remote, McIlroy remains THE GREATEST GOLFERS HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN BACK.
endearingly drawn to people. Whether in casual interactions or trying to save professional golf, he continues to easily and purposefully give of himself. This happens to be precisely what made Arnold Palmer golf’s greatest giver. We found it appropriate, then, in a moment when such qualities are more needed than ever, that Rory McIlroy receive the 2024 Arnie Award, Golf Digest’s highest honour for golfers who give back. “I’ve told Rory many times that he’s today’s Arnold Palmer,” says Brad Faxon, who was befriended by Palmer
as a PGA Tour rookie in 1984 and who has been McIlroy’s putting coach since 2018. “Like Arnold, he has this in- nate feel for others, an ability to read people and make them comfortable. When Rory meets someone, he looks them right in the eye, asks them ques- tions about themselves, listens to the answers and breaks through. If he has to say no, he’s always polite. He’s the same in a high-stakes setting – clear values, speaks from the heart, sees oth- er points of view, easy to trust. Just by being himself, he has followed Arnold’s example and protected the game at a
104 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MARCH/APRIL 2024
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