Rory McIlroy: World Number One! News from Tourism Ireland. Whom You Know Says The Celtic Tiger is Not the Economy-It's Rory!
Tourism Ireland tells Whom You Know:
With yet another win under Rory McIlroy’s belt – this time the US PGA Championship in Valhalla – his status as ‘World Number One’ restored, it seems the County Down man can do no wrong.
When Rory McIlroy raised the US PGA Wanamaker Trophy high in the air in Louisville, Kentucky, he could also lay claim to a staggering four major titles by the age of 25. But just where did this exceptionally talented young player find the skills to take on the world’s best and beat them all at their own game. We explore the courses that have made McIlroy a four-time major winner.
Where Rory McIlroy learned to play…McIlroy was a winner from an early age. He was raised on challenging links and parkland courses along the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland and won several prestigious titles as a teenager. No doubt these stood to him when he held off Tiger Woods in 2011 at the Honda Classic to become the World Number One for the first time.
Long hours of practice at his home club of Holywood in County Down gave the rising star the confidence he needed to produce the goods: proven in full when he captured the 2005 Irish Amateur Close title. The victory, at age 16, made him the youngest ever winner of the title, which had been captured in the past by stars such as Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell.
It was also in 2005 that McIlroy set a new competitive course record with a score of 61 on the Dunluce links of Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim. The course dates back to 1888 and is the only club on the island of Ireland to have hosted The Open Championship – and looks set to once more in 2019.
Turning pro
In 2007, McIlroy earned a coveted spot on the Great Britain and Ireland team at the Walker Cup, held at the Royal County Down Golf Club. Although his team didn’t take home the cup, he did win his single matches against Billy Horschel. 2007 was also the year that Rory turned pro – teeing off his career with several wins.
After McIlroy became Irish Close champion for the second time, he prepared for his title defense by humbling a giant, his mentor Nick Faldo, on the windswept Old Links at Ballyliffin, which is perched on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland’s most northerly county.
Ballyliffin Links
The wilds of Donegal
“Ballyliffin is a great golf course,” says McIlroy, who shot a course record 67 to beat six-time major winner Faldo by a stroke. “They have two great golf courses there. The Old Links, which is a little shorter and a little tighter with small greens. Nick Faldo redesigned it and it is very tricky and a very good test. The Glashedy, meanwhile, is a big golf course measuring more than 7,400 yards.
McIlroy continues,“They have two brilliant golf courses on a spectacular piece of land so if you have a chance to go to the northwest of Ireland, Ballyliffin should definitely be on everyone’s list.”
Just a few days after beating Faldo in Ballyliffin, McIlroy retained the Irish Close title at The European Club and declared that it was the best links course he had ever played. That’s high praise from a player who grew up just a few minutes’ drive from that other great links of Royal County Down and regularly teed it up at Royal Portrush when he was just a young boy.
“The European Club is probably the best links course that I have ever played, and I include Royal St George’s, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush in that,” McIlroy said at the time. “It’s just the definition to it and then there are the sleepers in the bunkers. The fairways are the best I’ve ever played on. It’s totally unbelievable.
“I love courses where you really have to think your way around. It gets me focused much more. That’s pretty much why I’m so impressed with it.”
In the eye of the Tiger
Back to the Irish Close, and McIlroy was on his way to beat the course record of four under par 67, set by Tiger Woods in July 2002, when he went to the turn in three under par. He had to settle for a 70 in the end, and ended up taking 80 in the second round as the wind blew and the rough took its toll.
He still qualified for the matchplay stages with ease, though, and eventually cruised to the title having learned some valuable lessons about course management and wind play. This, you could say, has stood to him later in his professional career.
Born in Northern Ireland, McIlroy is a golfer defined by the courses of his youth.
Courses that create winners in the #homeofchampions.
RORY MCILROY: BIOGRAPHY OF AN IRISH GOLF HERO
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy has been a golfing prodigy since he was a toddler. He became the youngest member of Holywood Golf Club at the age of eight and appeared on television, chipping balls into a washing machine.
In 2005 he became the youngest winner of the West of Ireland Championship at 15 and the Irish Close Championship at 16, going on to retain both title.
After a stellar amateur career, he turned professional in 2007 and immediately made an impact in the professional game, needing just two events to win enough money to earn his European Tour card.
It took him until 2009 to win his maiden title, the Dubai Desert Classic, but his progression since then has been spectacular.
When Rory McIlroy claimed the Claret Jug at The Open 2014 he became only the third man in the modern golfing era to claim three Masters titles before the age of 25. Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus are his company in the record books.
With his victory in the 2012 US PGA, he became the youngest player since Seve Ballesteros to win two majors. Later in 2012 he won the PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year.
Signed a reported $20m a year deal with Nike Golf in 2013
Rory McIlroy fast facts
Website: http://www.rorymcilroy.com Twitter: @mcilroyrory
— World Number One (as of August 2014)
— Winner of Three Masters by the age of 25 (change to Four should he win on 10/8 at US PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky)
— Born in Holywood, County Down in 1989
— Introduced to golf by his father at the age of 2 and could soon hit the ball 40 yards.
— Became the youngest full member of Holywood Golf Club (http://www.holywoodgolfclub.co.uk) at the age of 8
— Won the world Under-10 title at Doral in Florida at 9 and had his first hole in one that year
— Shot a level par 69 at his home course, Holywood Golf Club near Belfast, at age 11
— Had a scratch handicap at 13
— Has always been coached by Michael Bannon, who was the professional at Holywood when he was a child
— Won the West of Ireland Championship at 15 and the Irish Close Championship at 16 in 2005. He was the youngest winner of both titles and retained then in 2006.
— Won the European Amateur Championship in 2006 and became the first Irish golfer to go to No 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking that year
— Set a course record of 61 on the Dunluce links at Royal Portrush Golf Club at the age of 16 in the 2005 North of Ireland Championship
— Played in the Open Championship at Carnoustie in 2007, winning the Silver Medal awarded to the leading amateur
— Turned professional after the 2007 Walker Cup at Royal County Down
— Finished third in his second professional event, the 2007 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, to become the youngest player to secure his European Tour card.
— Became the youngest player to break into the world’s Top 50 in 2008
— Was the first player since Tiger Woods to win a US PGA Tour event before turning 21, the 2010 Quail Hollow Championship
— In 2011, shot 65 to become the youngest player to lead the Masters Tournament at the end of the first day
— Leading by four shots, he shot 80 in the final round of the 2011 Masters and failed to win
— Bounced back weeks later to win the 2011 US Open at Congressional by a record eight strokes
— Won the 2012 Honda Classic in Florida to become the first Irish player to reach No 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking
— Won PGA Player of the Year, PGA Tour Player of the Year and European Tour Player of the Year awards in 2012
— A lifelong Manchester United fan, he likes to play football and tennis in his spare time
Probably the best links course in the world
Just a few days after beating Faldo in Ballyliffin, McIlroy retained the Irish Close title at The European Club and declared that it was the best links course he had ever played.
That’s high praise from a player who grew up just a few minutes’ drive from the great links of Royal County Down and regularly teed it up at Royal Portrush when he was just a young boy.
“The European Club is probably the best links course that I have ever played, and I include Royal St George’s, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush in that,” McIlroy said at the time. “It’s just the definition to it and then there are the sleepers in the bunkers. The fairways are the best I’ve ever played on. It’s totally unbelievable.
“I love courses where you really have to think your way around. It gets me focused much more. That’s pretty much why I’m so impressed with it.”
