The last few weeks of 2014 have been incredibly transformative for Rory McIlroy.
After a difficult first half to the year, McIlroy's commanding back-to-back wins at The Open and the Bridgestone Invitational have elicited murmurs of the start of a McIlroy era to rival the dominance exhibited by Tiger Woods in years gone by.
Heading into 2014's final major at the PGA Championship at Valhalla,the Northern Irishman's momentum appears unstoppable. But can he keep his good form going and pick a second Major of the year?
To preview the tournament and McIlroy's chances, we were joined by golf writer Lawrence Donegan who is optimistic about his chances this weekend.
"He seems to be playing the best golf he's ever played, he's full of confidence, everybody that he plays against seem to accept that he's better than them right now. Tiger sustained this period of dominance for a long, long time. Rory's done it over two months basically but it's hard to see who can come out of the pack and beat him," said Donegan, who does not expect a walkover at Valhalla nevertheless
As for an era of dominance to rival Woods', Donegan is more cautious, seeing Tiger as a "one in 100 years guy".
"Certainly, Rory is as talented as anybody. But if you look back at Rory's career both as an amateur and a professional, he's essentially a different character from Tiger. Tiger's is all about extreme concentration and sustained excellence. Rory is much more mercurial guy," said Donegan, who added that McIlroy did not win all the time despite shining as an amateur and is unlikely to have the sustained success of Woods.
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