And while there have been brilliant advances in this field (see: Nintendo Wii), most remotes tend to be burdensome bricks that have a tendency to build up on our coffee table.
After going to the turn in 32, including a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh, McIlroy stormed clear of the field with a brilliant run of birdie-eagle-birdie from the 14th.
His midas touch extended to the field where a brilliant throw from the deep had Craig McMillan run out at a time when New Zealand needed to survive rather than pick up runs.
But whereas before the 1996 European championships Gazza's off-field antics had been interspersed with brilliant displays on the pitch, in the run-up to this year's World Cup he has seemed slow and struggling.
Somerset always looked lively in the field, and this was characterised by a brilliant running catch by Alfonso Thomas, racing in from long-on to dismiss Gareth Berg.