Rory's First Pitch Is A High Strike; Then The Lad Leaves Earlier Than A Dodger Fan

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I Tweeted the spellbinding video so for now this is all you've got to live the first pitch at Tuesday's Giants-Astros game (until it appears on YouTube or Golf Channel, which appeared to have exclusive access based on the number of groupees they had on the field).



Even with front row seats, Rory left in the middle of the second inning and made the unfortunate move of leaving from the exit near where prominent members of the UK press were sitting. And this lowly blogger.

Even Dodger fans stay longer than that. I was gone by the end of six.

As for Rory's game, Pond Scummers Elling and Huggan are back and batted around Rory's play in Memphis heading into his title defense at Olympic.

Elling: To me, the fact that McIlroy put himself in contention, and then some, was a huge step forward. The kid had missed three straight cuts at premier events, twice shooting 79. This time, he just hit a horrible shot at absolutely the worst possible time, wrecking any chance at a victory when he had a hand on the trophy. Is his confidence shaken? It ought to be. But he's in better shape than he was 10 days ago.

Huggan: My bigger question re Rory's chances this week are more to do with the bigger picture. Does he have more than one gear? I have doubts about that. Any time the course is not soft enough for him to go full-bore at every target, his play has been less than stellar. And, after last year, there is no way that the USGA is going to have the course at anything less than brutal. Just as they did in 1974 -- the "massacre at Winged Foot -- in the wake of Johnny Miller's 63 at Oakmont 12 months previously, look for them to exact some revenge this time round.

Sam Weinman highlights the highlights of Rory's Tuesday press conference.