Rory McIlroy made sporting history this weekend when he won the career grand slam. Liverpool was the scene of one of his triumphs.
Rory McIlroy after his win at Royal Liverpool in 2014(Image: Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy made sporting history this weekend when he triumphed in the Masters. The 35-year-old become the sixth golfer in history to complete the career grandslam.
The Northern Irishman held his nerve in Augusta to hold off Justin Rose in the play off and seal his first ever green jacket. The win ended an 11 year wait from McIlroy to win another major after he won the Open Championship and his second PGA Championship in 2014.
McIlroy’s Open Championship triumph came in Merseyside as he won the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool. The Merseyside crowd were right behind the Northern Irishman, who has become one of the most popular figures in golf.
McIlroy was grateful for the response in his acceptance speech as he said: “Even though I’m a Man United fan standing here.” The crowd jokingly turned on the golfer when he spoke about his allegiances for the city’s rivals down the M62.
The golfer laughed off the moment as he added: “I still appreciate the great support!.” McIlroy’s win in Hoylake made him only the third golfer to win three majors by the age of 25.
The pressure has been on ever since for when he would win The Masters to join the exclusive club of people to have won the career Grand Slam. He etched his name into history on Sunday when he birdied the playoff hole to defeat Justin Rose.
McIlroy immediately burst into tears and collapsed into his knees after he holed the winning shot. Speaking about the win, he said: “It’s a dream come true.
“I have dreamt about that moment for as long as I can remember. Watching Tiger (Woods) here in 1997 do what he did, winning his first green jacket, I think that inspired so many of my generation to want to emulate what he did.
“It feels incredible. This is my 17th time here and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. The last 10 years coming here with the burden of the grand slam on my shoulder and trying to achieve it, I wonder what we’re going to talk about going into next year.
“I’m absolutely honoured, thrilled and proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion.” McIlroy admitted it was “all relief” that made him sink to his knees after holing the winning putt, adding: “It was 14 years in the making, from having a four-shot lead (after three rounds) in 2011.
“There was a lot of pent up emotion that came out on the 18th green and a moment like that makes all the years and close calls worth it.”
McIlroy’s win was celebrated by golfing fans across the world. But there were real fears his Masters could once again end in heartbreak during the last day.
Rory McIlroy celebrating his Masters win(Image: AP)
McIlroy’s fourth birdie of the day on the 10th had given him a five-shot lead, but he inexplicably pitched into Rae’s Creek on the 13th to run up a second double bogey of the day and also dropped a shot on the 14th.
After a birdie on the 17th had seen him regain the lead, McIlroy bogeyed the 18th and was grateful for the intervention of his caddie Harry Diamond before the play-off.
He said: “After scoring, Harry and I were walking to the golf cart to bring us back to the 18th tee, and he said to me, “Well pal, we would have taken this on Monday morning.
“I’m like, ‘Yeah, absolutely we would have’. That was an easy reset. I just kept telling myself, just make the same swing you made in regulation. And I hit a great drive up there and the rest is history.
“I had two yards less in the play-off than regulation and a flatter lie as well. It was a good number, just needed a committed swing and made one at the right time.”