His parents captured the moment on the home video.
Three -year -old Rory McIlroy practiced his swing in the family home’s living room.
At the age of nine, he appeared on Ulster television and cut golf balls into a washing machine.
His love for golf was cherished by his father Gerry, who brought Baby Rory to the track in his trailer.
Gerry and Mamma Rosie acknowledged his talent, and both did second work to finance their son’s career.
Read more:
Rory McIlroy claims Career Grand Slam with US Masters Win
McIlroy during the finals at the Masters. Pic: ap
It did well when he won four major championships at the age of 25, after turning first 22 years old.
Then came the drought – 11 years of it – McIlroy put himself and all of us through the wrestling.
He has come close again and repeatedly under the weight of the expectation.
Only one other player of his generation has won a career in the career – Tiger Woods.
Some feared that he would never write the story, that the green jacket would never reach the Green Isle.
But in the hills east of Belfast, they dared to believe that their most famous son since footballer George Best would carve his place in history.
For the son of Holywood, a coastal town in County Down, it is an end of Hollywood.
