Magic McIlroy's first major of many

Rory McIlroy won the US Open by a stunning eight strokes

Watching Rory McIlroy's dominating display in the US Open, one thing was very apparent. He belongs at the top of golf and is going to be there for some time to come.

He led the second major of the year from start to finish and never once looked like he was feeling the nerves or was under any pressure.

His triumph came just 71 days after his final-day meltdown at the Masters, when he led all the way before collapsing in the final round by shooting an 80.

Many wondered how long it would take the Northern Irishman to recover from such a crushing blow. They needn't have worried. This kid has resilience, belief and above all, talent.

Experienced men may have taken a while to recover from such a collapse so that makes it even more impressive as McIlroy has just turned 22. He has been knocking on the door for a while now but that door has now been well and truly battered down.

McIlroy dedicated his victory to his father, Gerry

McIlroy has been tipped for greatness since he started his career and is now being compared to legends of the game like Tiger Woods.

Sometimes when youngsters have success they are overly hyped up and fail to live up to public expectations.

But you just get the sense with this young man that he is different. At 22, he seems to have an aura that takes others years to build up.

The way he destroyed the field at Congressional was one of the best displays ever seen in a major championship and will only serve to build that aura even more.

Records were broken left, right and centre as he made pre-tournament claims that a score of around six-under-par would be enough to win seem laughable.

His winning score was 16-under, the lowest score in US Open history, and beat second-placed man Jason Day by a whopping eight strokes.

Even Woods at his best would have struggled to beat McIlroy in this form.

Woods' victory at the US Open in 2000 was seen by many as the best major performance of all-time

Woods had held the previous lowest score in the US Open - his stunning effort of 12-under coming in the Pebble Beach tournament of 2000 - but he could only watch on TV as his era of dominance was truly ended.

Woods has won 14 majors and is second on the all-time list behind Jack Nicklaus, who has 18.

For a long time, it seemed inevitable Woods would surpass Nicklaus but now it is doubtful he will win another one.

Injuries, personal problems and a chronic lack of form have scuppered his chances in recent years but it would not be a surprise to see him in contention again in the not too distant future.

Watching McIlroy's stunning display at Congressional, Woods should have been inspired. Once, it was he who was producing dominating performances like that and he will not enjoy someone else having all the limelight.

It looked like Woods would be the only threat to Nicklaus' record of 18 majors but McIlroy is already being talked about in that race.

Of course, he has a long way to go but this major will be the first of many for him and at 22, he is sure to have multiple chances to win more.

There are other youngsters who will make McIlroy's task difficult in the coming years, like Matteo Manassero, Rickie Fowler and Ryo Ishikawa, while the likes of Woods, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer will be in contention for some time too. McIlroy is the man of the moment though.

Rickie Fowler (left) and Matteo Manassero will be among those battling it out with McIlroy for years to come

Woods' performance at Pebble Beach in 2000 was a quality of golf which had never been seen before. McIlroy's display at Congressional in 2011 can now sit alongside that.

When Woods first came on the scene, it was his talent which was talked about more than anything. McIlroy possesses the same abilities.

He is like Woods, but with smiles and enjoyment. You sense he doesn't feel the same pressure Tiger did and he largely plays on instinct.

Golf badly needs someone to step into the shoes of the tarnished Woods, and they have that man in Rory McIlroy.

He appears friendly and respectful, while he is the sort of person who will only ever invite headlines on the back pages. This is the person to lead golf for years to come.

As the second-youngest major winner since World War Two, the signs are good for McIlroy. He is already number four in the world and it would not be a surprise to see him as number one very soon. The position is up for grabs.

He has a fantastic swing, - described by many as the best in golf - is great at approach play and bunker work, while his putting rarely lets him down. He has very few weaknesses and has now proved he can hold up under the pressure.

McIlroy's swing has been lauded by experts

American fans chanted McIlroy's name throughout his final two rounds at Congressional and it is hard to think of another "foreign" player who has taken to American hearts quite like him. Their hero has been disgraced and they are looking for someone else to latch on to, and who better than a young man with talent, dignity and charisma?

In the immediate aftermath of his Augusta disaster, McIlroy acted like a champion. Now he has proved that beyond any doubt and if anything, what happened to him at Augusta has only made him more popular.

Many predicted McIlroy would struggle to recover from his Masters nightmare

His popularity has now reached stratospheric levels and he is only going to get more liked as time goes on.

He is not the new Woods, he is Rory McIlroy, a great player in his own right.

How many majors will he win? Maybe four, seven, ten, twenty, who knows? However many he wins, he is going to be the central figure in golf for at least the next decade or two.

It is unfair to compare him to Woods but McIlroy could be set to take on the same status the American enjoyed for over ten years. Woods will come back strongly but will come up against a supremely talented youngster hungry for multiple majors.

Watch out Tiger, Rory the lion is out to get you.