Rory McIlroy
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight: 11.5 st (161 lb; 73 kg)
Birthday: 4 May 1989
College: –
Year turned pro: 2007
Birthplace: Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland
Country: Northern Ireland
Sponsor: Nike
McIlroy was born in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland, in 1989. He was encouraged to play golf from a very early age, by his father Gerry, who was himself a golfer of a high standard. As a child, McIlroy went to school at St. Patrick's Primary School and Sullivan Upper School.
McIlroy’s parents worked hard, to provide the financial backing for their son’s burgeoning golf career. The investment seemed to be working, when a young McIlroy won in the 9-10 age group, at the World Championship, held at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami. He went on to achieve more success as a junior when he was a member of the victorious European Junior Ryder Cup team, in 2004.
McIlroy originally intended to play collegiate golf in the United States, but eventually he decided to stay and play as an amateur in Europe. He was still only 16 when he played his first event on the European Tour, at the British Masters in 2005. It was two years later, in 2007, when McIlroy first made the cut at a European Tour event, at the Dubai Desert Classic. In the same year he won the
Silver Medal at the Open Championship, for achieving the best amateur performance.
In September of the same year, McIlroy turned professional. When he secured his card for the 2008 European Tour McIlroy was the youngest ever Affiliate Member to do so. That season he finished in 95th place in the Order of Merit. At the end of the following season, he finished with World Ranking of 79.
In 2009, McIlroy won his first tournament as a professional, at the Dubai Desert Classic; a win which meant he rose to 16th in the World Rankings. That same year, McIlroy made his first appearance at the Masters, where he finished in joint 20th place. That same year, he finished in a tie for 10th place at the US Open. 2009 was a big year for McIlroy, who finished the year in 9th place in the World Rankings, and announced he would be playing on the PGA Tour in the United States, the following year.
In May 2010, McIlroy won his first tournament on the PGA Tour, at the Quail Hollow Championship. It was the first time since Tiger Woods won at a young age, that a player had achieved a Tour win before they reached the age of 21. That same year, McIlroy was part of the victorious Ryder Cup Team. After the Ryder Cup, McIlroy announced that he had made the decision to play mainly on the European Tour the following season. He later stated that he regretted this decision.
In 2011, McIlroy achieved one of the best successes of his career. He was victorious at the US Open which was held at Congressional in Bethesda, Maryland. He was the youngest player to win the tournament since Bobby Jones in 1923. The win also meant that he rose to 4th place in the World Rankings. McIlroy took some time off after the victory, but he went on to achieve two further wins that year, at the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters and the UBS Hong Kong Open.
In 2012, McIlroy won the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As a result of this win, he rose to 1stplace in the World Rankings. He was the second youngest person ever to achieve this. That same year, McIlroy won the PGA Championship. He did so by eight strokes, which was a new record. That year he was the first European born player to win four PGA Tour events in the same season.
McIlroy didn’t have a great start to 2013, but he did manage to achieve a win at the Emirates Australian Open. He waited eighteen months before he achieved a further win, at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. McIlroy went on to win the Open Championship, at the Royal Liverpool; the third time he had won a major in his career. He went on to achieve a win at the
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone. This win meant that he returned to number 1 in the World Rankings.
In 2015, McIlroy won at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, on the European Tour. However, he went on to miss the cut at the Honda Classic, on the PGA Tour. He improved, to win the WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship; the second time he had won a World Golf Championship event. He achieved more success before becoming mentally tired; a fact which lead to him missing the cut in several tournaments.
Throughout his career, McIlroy has been the recipient of several awards, including the PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year. He is considered to be one of the most exciting and marketable players in golf.
Away from the course, McIlroy moved from his home in Moneyreagh in County Down, Northern Ireland to Palm Beach Gardens in Florida, USA, in 2012. He is an Ambassador for UNICEF and has made a visit to Haiti on behalf of the charity.
McIlroy was previously engaged to tennis player Caroline Wozniacki but ended the engagement saying he was not ready for marriage.
He enjoys other sports outside of golf, and is a big fan of Manchester United Football Club. He famously filmed a Nike advert with Manchester United player Wayne Rooney. McIlroy is also a supporter of the Ulster Rugby Team, and can often be seen at games at Kingspan stadium, when he has the time.
As of the end of 2014, McIlroy had achieved 11 wins on the PGA Tour, amassing total prize money of $23,440,099.
Rory McIlroy, a professional golfer from Northern Ireland, uses a relatively neutral grip in his golf swing. A neutral grip means that both hands are placed on the club in a position that is relatively square to the target line. Here are some key characteristics of Rory McIlroy's grip:
- Right Hand Position: Rory's right hand is placed on the club with the “V” formed by the thumb and index finger pointing towards his right shoulder (for a right-handed golfer). This indicates a relatively neutral hand position.
- Left Hand Position: His left hand also takes a neutral position on the club, with the “V” formed by the thumb and index finger pointing towards his right shoulder as well.
- Connection: McIlroy's hands are connected on the club, creating a unified grip that allows for a smoother swing and better control.
- Grip Pressure: He applies a firm grip pressure, which helps maintain control throughout the swing and prevents the club from twisting at impact.
- Interlocking Grip: Rory McIlroy uses the interlocking grip, where his right pinky finger is hooked into the gap between his left index and middle fingers, creating a secure hold.
Rory McIlroy's grip is considered more traditional and well-suited for a variety of shots. It allows for good control of the clubface, which is essential for consistency in ball striking and shot shape. However, it's essential to remember that the grip is a personal aspect of the golf swing, and different golfers may use variations based on their swing style and comfort.
