Rory McIlroy, MBE (born 4 May 1989) is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down. He has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007. Later that year he turned professional and soon established himself on the European Tour.
He had his first win on the European Tour in 2009, and on the PGA Tour in 2010. He represented Europe in the 2010 Ryder Cup. On 19 June 2011, he won the U.S. Open, his first major. He finished with a record score of 16-under-par on his way to an eight-shot victory, as the youngest winner since Bobby Jones in 1923.
He has been cited as the most exciting young prospect in golf and having the potential to become one of the highest earners in sports in terms of endorsements. The victory lifted McIlroy's position in the Official World Golf Ranking to a career high of number four. In November, he finished tied for 4th at the WGC-HSBC Champions to move to a new career high of number 2.
In the 2010 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, McIlroy beat Kevin Na 1-up in the first round and then lost on a playoff hole to Oliver Wilson. After the Accenture Match Play Championship, McIlroy took time off from golf due to a sore back. After a two-week break McIlroy returned in the 2010 Honda Classic and finished in a tie for 40th.
McIlroy won the U.S. Open held at Congressional in Bethesda, Maryland on 19 June winning by eight shots over Jason Day. McIlroy set several records in his victory, most notably, his 72-hole aggregate score of 268 (16-under) was a new U.S. Open record. The 268 aggregate beat the previous record of 272 held by Jack Nicklaus (Baltusrol, 1980), Lee Janzen (Baltusrol, 1993), Tiger Woods (Pebble Beach, 2000), and Jim Furyk (Olympia Fields, 2003).
The 16-under in relation to par beat Tiger Woods' 12 under at Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2000. McIlroy self-identifies as both British and Irish, and carries a British passport. When in Northern Ireland, he lives in a £2.2 million home near the town of Carryduff in County Down, about 20 minutes from Belfast. The land around his house also includes a custom-made practice facility, as well as a scaled-down football pitch.
He is an Ambassador for UNICEF Ireland and made his first visit to Haiti with UNICEF in June 2011. His great uncle Joe McIlroy was murdered by the Ulster Volunteer Force at his east Belfast home in November 1972. He is currently in a relationship with the Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
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