Writers' roundtable: How will McIlroy fare on TOUR?

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Rory McIlroy said Tuesday that he will join the PGA TOUR in 2010.

Rory McIlroy, one of the most promising players the game has seen in recent years, announced Wednesday in Hong Kong that he would take up membership on the PGA TOUR in 2010. So PGATOUR.COM asked its correspondents what they expect of the 20-year-old from Northern Ireland in the next 12 months -- and beyond.

STAN AWTREY: McIlroy certainly has the potential to become an accomplished player on the PGA TOUR before his career is finished. But don't expect him to be an overnight sensation when he joins the American circuit in 2010.

McIlroy has shown the ability to dazzle. He won the Dubai Desert Classic, was third in the PGA Championship and has 11 top-10s in 22 starts in 2009. But seven times he finished 46th or higher, which points to the inconsistent part of the puzzle.

By playing in the United States, McIlroy will be competing on a fresh set of venues with which he isn't familiar. He'll spend time growing accustomed to a different travel schedule. And he'll find that the depth on the PGA TOUR is just a bit stronger than it is in Europe. For example, No. 125 on the PGA TOUR money list is David Duval while on the European Tour it is Jean-Francois Lucquin.

Young McIlroy will be a fine young player, but it's premature to hand him a Green Jacket, a Claret Jug or a Wanamaker Trophy. Remember it wasn't that long ago we were saying the same thing about Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald and Justin Rose. It's a good bet that a member of that trio will beat McIlroy to the major championship pay window.

CRAIG DOLCH: Just like the mop of hair that seems to be exploding under McIlroy's cap, so is the talent that oozes from the young Irishman.

For McIlroy to commit to a PGA TOUR membership is a big plum for the TOUR. But it's the logical next step for Rory. He knows to be the best you have got to beat the best.

McIlroy has impressed everyone with his skills, mental approach and the positive way he embraces his new-found celebrity. No doubt he has several major titles in his future, especially since he's 13 1/2 years younger than Tiger Woods. By taking full membership with the PGA TOUR, he is accelerating his learning curve.

MELANIE HAUSER: He's got a game as scary as that unruly mass of curls on top of his head on a humid morning.

He's where'd-that-come-from long off the tee, especially considering that compact 5-foot-7 frame of his. He's got just about every shot he could need in his bag.

And Rory McIlroy's got moxie.

McIlroy called himself brilliant at age 9 and won everything he could to prove it. He finished as the low amateur at the 2007 Open Championship and said it was time to turn pro. He felt the pressure as a big lead slipped away in Dubai in 2009, but the kid still won.

And now? The next great Irish player is taking this fame-and-fortune thing one step at time as he sprints toward the finish in the first Race for Dubai. Give or take a slip of his lip this year, McIlroy has lived up to expectations and had a heck of a season.

As for 2010, think adjustment. He'll have his share of brilliant moments but he'll also be learning how to split time on both sides of the Atlantic and he'll be adjusting to new places and courses on the PGA TOUR. Expect some so-so with the good in year one. And after that? If he can avoid struggling like Sergio Garcia has, look out. The guy's good.

JOHN MAGINNES: Forget about the fact that his name closely resembles that of our hero from "Tin Cup." Forget about the fact that McIlroy needs a haircut. Forget about his tender age, oh wait -- that is what should give you pause.

No player since 1996 has come to the PGA TOUR with as much promise at such a young age. Heck, in some ways he is ahead of Tiger on the time line. The career of most TOUR players doesn't start until their mid-20s -- or later. That is probably why most of the interviews are so polished and boring. So far McIlroy, too, has stuck to script, showing a maturity and poise that should make his parents proud.

But 20 is an unpredictable age even under the most insulated circumstances. In the white hot spotlight of professional sports and sports media all flaws tend to be exposed. If there is a weakness -- if the impatience of youth rears its ugly head -- we will see it. A player's career can be defined in equal measure by how he handles heartbreaking losses as well as his triumphs. For McIlroy and the others in his generation more of their lives off the course will be exposed and open to public opinion than any who have come before them.

In the foreseeable future McIlroy will be facing sky-high expectations on TOUR. At some point he will have to shoulder the burden of those expectations as the one who will challenge Tiger -- all while trying to grow up and determine the course his life will take. The big, important questions of his life are not about equipment contracts and agents. They are questions that everyone faces. He will have to make decisions about faith, marriage and children -- to name a few.

Do I believe that McIlroy could be the next great player on the PGA TOUR? The simple answer is yes but the question is a lot more complicated than that.

MIKE McALLISTER: McIlroy doesn't turn 21 until May, so expecting him to win in his maiden PGA TOUR season is probably unrealistic ... but certainly not improbable. Tiger Woods won his first TOUR event at age 20; Phil Mickelson was still an amateur at age 21 when he won the Northern Telecom Open. It can be done.

Whether McIlroy is in that company remains to be seen, but I wouldn't be shocked if he hoisted a trophy in 2010. Although he has that just-woke-up hairstyle, he seems focused and very serious when he has a golf club in his hand. "At his age, at any age, his skill level is incredible," Mickelson said.

Still, I don't think we need to be in a rush to see McIlroy win in 2010. Or even 2011. We can afford to grow up with him. He's going to be a TOUR fixture for a long time.

HELEN ROSS: Look beyond that cherubic face and cascading curls to the way he carries himself on the golf course and it's easy to see McIlroy has the kind of skills to be successful on the PGA TOUR for a long time.

The phenom from Northern Ireland made his pro debut State-side at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and proceeded to tie for fifth in an event that featured no less than the top 64 players in the world. He went on to play 10 more times on TOUR and posted two more top-10s -- both of which came in majors.

Already a winner on the European Tour, the 20-year-old has earned respect on both sides of the Atlantic. Will he win this year? Quite possibly. He's supremely talented and his performance to date shows he's hardly in awe of the top players in the world. Is he the next Tiger Woods? C'mon. Be real.

Let's let him grow up and into his game first. There's a learning curve for any young pro, regardless of how talented he is. That said, I have no doubt that McIlroy will go to the head of the class and be teaching lessons of his own soon enough.

BRIAN WACKER: Early in the year, some players were saying they thought Rory McIlroy could be the No. 2 player in the world as soon as next year. High praise, I thought at the time.

Looking back on McIlroy's season -- 11 top-10s, including a win, in Europe and three top-10s on the PGA TOUR -- I still think it's lofty praise. For example, that would mean McIlroy would have to be better than Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and Paul Casey -- all players who held the second or third spot in the Official World Golf Ranking at various points this year.

That said, I do think he will be in the top 10 in the world in 2010, be on the periphery of contention at a major and win on TOUR and/or in Europe. One of the big reasons is that, aside from his prodigious talent, McIlroy's early relationship with Darren Clarke and the decision by his management team to bring him along slowly are crucial components to his development.

Will McIlroy eventually replace Tiger Woods as the No. 1 player in the world? I hate questions like that because words like "great" and the expectations that go with it are tossed around way too often every time a promising young player comes along. Right now, though, I'd say McIlroy is the most likely of anyone to live up to those expectations.