Plenty of other records would have fallen, too, but for Tiger Woods' epochal effort at Pebble Beach in 2000. The (formerly) great one was 10 shots clear after three rounds on that occasion. Famously, he went on to win by 15 shots, playing the kind of golf with which, as Bobby Jones once said of Jack Nicklaus, "we are not familiar".

Woods, Jones, Nicklaus — these are great names, the greatest in fact; champions whose deeds will never be forgotten. Let us not be hasty but it might be worth saving a spot on the pantheon for McIlroy, just in case. "What is he, 22 years old,'' asked no less a figure than Padraig Harrington. "If you are going to talk about someone challenging Jack's record (of 18 major championship victories), there's your man. Winning majors at 22 with his talent — he would have 20 more years so probably 100 more majors in him where he could be competitive. It would give him a great chance."

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