2010 was an interesting year for golf where golf legends experienced the worst season of their careers and new faces came forward and turned the golf world upside down.
Rory McIlroy is one of the youngest professional golfers and has captured many hearts not only by his looks but by his game as well.
Rory was born on 4 May 1989 and is just twenty one right now. At such a tender age, McIlroy has won tournaments on the European Tour and the PGA. Representing Northern Ireland both as an amateur and a professional, McIlroy has surely made his compatriots
proud.
Born in Holywood, Northern Ireland, Rory attended Sullivan Upper School. Rory started playing golf at a young age and took lessons with Michael Bannon at the Holywood Golf Club. Bannon is a friend, a teacher to Rory and is his current coach.
It was in 2004 that Rory came out in the open in the world of Golf. He made the Junior Ryder Cup team that year which came out victorious. In just a matter of a year, Rory then became the youngest winner of both the Irish Close Championship and the West
of Ireland Championship. Two years later, he kept the West of Ireland Championship title again and continued his glory with yet another win at the Irish Close Championship.
In August of that fortunate year, Rory also won the European Amateur Championship at Biella Golf Club. McIlroy was victorious with 274 as he defeated the English Stephen Lewton by three strokes.
July 2005 brought good news for the player yet again. The young McIlroy posted a record d 61 on the Dunluce links of Royal Portrush Golf Club. In October 2006, he represented Ireland in the Eisenhower Trophy and the Amateur Team Championship. A year later,
Rory became the second man to lead the World Amateur Golf Ranking on 6
February 2007. Even though Rory lost the rank just after a week, that one week of glory was unforgettable for the player.
That same year Rory turned professional, just before the Quinn Direct British Masters. McIlroy made the deal with International Sports Management. This company also works for golf champions such as Lee Westwood, David Howell, Darren Clarke and Ernie Els.
At the British Masters, he came at 42nd place after posting a 2 over 290.
Playing the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October, Rory came in 3rd place. Finishing three strokes behind Nick Dougherty, that was truly an achievement for a rookie on the European Tour. Due to his amazing performance, he thus earned the
European Tour card and became the youngest Affiliate Member in the history of the Tour to do so. Tying for 4th
place at the Open de Madri Valle Romano, McIlroy secured his playing privileges for 2008. His first year on the Tour hence earned him a good amount of €277,255, and 95th place on the Order of Merit. That year he was also the highest ranked
associate member.
His second year on tour started off with a very prestigious invitation. The number one golfer at that time, Tiger Woods, invited Rory to play in the Target World Challenge. McIlroy however, refused the offer since the World Challenge coincided with the European
Open.
“I was thrilled that they would want to invite me considering I'm only just starting out on my career." He said. "That event clashes with the European Open and that's an event I would be stupid not to play,” said Rory regarding his invitation.
With only a year as a professional golfer, Rory had a busy schedule. This young player had achieved so much in a matter of years that showed how much potential he had.
To be continued…
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