Which version of Rory McIlroy should golf fans believe in, the one who played the first 10 months of the season without a victory and often looked hopelessly lost on the golf course? Or the one who battled Adam Scott down the stretch in Australia to deny the reigning Masters champion the Aussie Triple Crown?
And what kind of season looms for the young, two-time major winner in 2014?
Our scribes dive into those topics and more in the latest edition of Four-Ball.
1. Over/under of 2 on McIlroy PGA Tour wins in 2014?
Michael Collins, ESPN.com senior golf analyst: Over. He'll have three wins, including a major, but will lose player of the year honors to Tiger Woods.
Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: McIlroy should win at least two times if he plays a full schedule.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Over. The 2013 season was the exception, not the norm. Rory looks to bounce back in 2014 and get back to his winning ways.
Kevin Maguire, ESPN.com senior golf editor: Over. With a strong finish to the 2013 season, I'd expect at least three wins, if not a major title, for McIlroy. He epitomizes the streaky player, so don't be shocked if he knocks out at least a couple of those wins prior to the Masters.
2. Fact or fiction: McIlroy will seriously contend for a major title in 2014.
Collins: Fact. See Question 1. Haha! He will have two other top-10s in majors as well.
Evans: Fact. McIlroy might have struggled in 2013, but he is still one of the two or three top players in the world, regardless of what the world rankings say.
Harig: Fact. If he is to get back to winning, it makes sense that he will contend in majors as well and perhaps even win one.
Maguire: Fact. Now that he's got that first victory out of the way with his new Nike clubs, he'll stop hearing questions about when he'll win again. It's time the Northern Irishman gets back to doing what he does best: showing up big in golf's biggest tournaments.
3. Are you buying or selling Rory stock in 2014?
Collins: Buying. Now that he has found a ball that he can trust, expect him to start the climb back to fight for world No. 1.
Evans: Buying. It's always a good idea to invest for the long term in smart, youthful companies that have a growing market. And Rory will pay dividends next year and for many years to come.
Harig: Buying. Rory is too good for his lackluster play to continue. He played better at the end of the year, won in Australia, and now has some momentum to take into the new year.
Maguire: What's that phrase ... buy low and sell high? Well, McIlroy's stock hasn't been much lower since before he turned pro, so now might be the time to jump on the bandwagon. Considering how he finished the season with a victory in Australia, expect that stock to rise and continue going up in the new year.
4. Fill in the blank: By the end of 2014, Rory McIlroy will _______.
Collins: ... be one win away from the career Grand Slam.
Evans: ... have three majors and a Players Championship.
Harig: ... have done a good bit to make 2013 seem like an aberration.
Maguire: ... have won his third major championship. Who knows if it will be by 8 shots like his first two, but a major triumph will be squarely in his sights for the entire season.
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