“I wish I had a pound for every time someone reminded me of that video,” said Gerry, who never moved from his TV screen in his Ardglass home on Sunday night as he watched the now-35-year-old McIlroy complete a clean sweep of major titles.
Rory McIlroy on the Gerry Kelly Show
‘Dream come true’ – Rory McIlroy finally completes grand slam with Masters win
“Of course you could tell back then he had a special talent,” said Gerry. “But just how special he would be, well, I don’t think any of us ever dared believe Northern Ireland would produce this sort of sporting superstar.”
The young McIlroy, who was still at primary school, had been invited on Kelly after Gerry learned of his success at the World Junior Tournament, in the under-10 division, in Florida.
“You see a lot of kids at nine years old who have the talent and show a lot of promise, can do the fancy tricks, win the junior tournaments. Many of them will disappear, but from that night we chatted, I’ve followed his career and he hasn’t disappeared.
“He continued to progress while others, who might have shared that early talent, fell away.
“We actually had a night in the Titanic centre a while ago where we recreated that washing machine stunt, getting people in the audience to guess if he’d hit the target from 20 yards like he did in that video. We had to give it up. The ball went in every time.”
Gerry said his own nerves were getting the better of him as the five hours of sporting drama unfolded on Sunday evening.
“I thought it was his to lose from the start of the round on Sunday night, but within a couple of holes I thought: ‘Oh, no, here we go again, he’s lost it.’ I probably wasn’t the only one, after what we’d all watched and been put through before.
“Then I thought he had it in his pocket again, then he’d lost it. It went on and on, ups and downs. It was a thrilling watch. And though it might have been easier to enjoy had he sailed to the line, it will now go down as probably the best Masters tournament ever. That made Rory getting over the line all the more special for those who have followed all the triumphs and disasters that have followed him through his career.
Rory McIlroy on the Gerry Kelly Show
Watch: Holywood Co Down celebrates McIlroy’s Masters and career grand slam victory
“For Northern Ireland to have produced the next golfer to complete that career Grand Slam of major titles is absolutely fantastic. It was a pleasure to watch Rory develop in his early career, winning the US Open, the Open and those two PGA titles. But you knew all along, probably since that Masters in 2011 when he looked to have it won, that this was the one he wanted.
“It’s probably the greatest sporting achievement I can remember from any Northern Ireland sporting star. It even surpasses that night when Dennis Taylor won the world snooker title in 1985 for the sheer drama of the event.
“I’m sure that wee video of him chipping balls into washing machines will be getting another few airings this week.
”I think I did start to relax a little when he managed to get four shots clear, but I suppose I should have known better. But he just keep coming back and coming back with some of the most wonderful golf shots under pressure I think I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching.
“I’m just so relieved he managed to do it. Had he fallen short again, I would have hated his career to be remembered for the near-misses, rather than the success he has had. To think he could have gone through that all again, being called a bottler as if his career was some sort of a failure despite everything he’s achieved, would have been so unfair. They’d have been queuing up to take pot shots at him again.
“We can all sit back and relax now, enjoy the talent he has and take delight in the effect his victory has had on Northern Ireland.
“I like to think he gone one further than those who completed the golfing Grand Slam before him. He’s won the Masters now, the Open, the US Open and the USPGA. And he’s chipped into a washing machine in his mum’s kitchen as a nine-year-old on the Kelly Show. I don’t think anyone will ever beat that!”