Rory McIlroy cut an emotional figure when acknowledging the sacrifices his parents had made to help him go on to win his first Green Jacket at Augusta National, a little over three weeks ago.
In the world of sport, many of the greatest athletes to have lived credit their success to the support network they have around them. Stories have revolved of how parents have devoted themselves to helping their children achieve greatness, ferrying them to training sessions or saving up the pennies to buy the best sports gear.
And McIlroy’s mum and dad, Rosie and Gerry, were no different, sacrificing their time around their busy 100-week working lives to help their son immortalise himself in golfing history.
Now, speaking ahead of this weekend’s Truist Championship, McIlroy has opened up on the emotional moment he met his mum and dad for the first time since achieving his historic Career Grand Slam.
The 36-year-old’s parents were unable to watch him clinch the coveted Green Jacket in Georgia, as they were back at home in Northern Ireland moving into a new house.
But a couple of days after his epic victory, McIlroy, his wife Erica and daughter Poppy flew back home to celebrate his monumental victory with friends and family, first heading to London to see the new home they are building before jetting back to Holywood in Northern Ireland.
Rory McIlroy (left, pictured in 2014) has opened up on the emotional moment he saw his mum Rosie (centre) and dad Gerry (right) for the first time since his Masters victory
McIlroy said he was reduced to a ‘mess’ after seeing his parents for the first time. They had not been able to watch his triumph in Georgia as they were back home in Northern Ireland
McIlroy said it was special to be able to share the monumental victory with his mother (pictured right at The Open in 2014) and father upon returning back to Northern Ireland
‘I just wanted to see my parents and the people that were closest to me, and we had a really nice two days,’ McIlroy said on Wednesday, ahead of this weekend’s Truist Championship, adding that he wanted to keep his trip back home ‘as private as possible’.
‘With my dad, like I never get that emotional with my dad. It was great. It was great to see him.
‘Then when I saw my mom, I — yeah, we were both a mess for a few minutes.’
His parents, who hailed from a working-class background, have been by his side through thick and thin. Gerry, a scratch golfer himself, worked three jobs – one of which involved cleaning toilets and showers at alocal sports club before going to work as a bartender. Rosie had worked night shifts at a factory as both strived to give their son the best chance of success as a professional player.
‘I am a working-class man and that’s all I knew to get the money we needed for Rory to be able to learn and compete at golf,’ Gerry had previously told Mail Sport.
For McIlroy, being able to share that incredible achievement with his mum and dad was a moment he will cherish.
‘Look, as an only child, I have a bond,’ the three-time FedEx Cup winner said on Wednesday.
‘I’m lucky, and I know a lot of people feel this, that they have a close bond with their parents, but I think as time goes on and I’m getting a little older, I realize that they’re not going to be around forever.
Rosie and Gerry both hail from a working class background and sacrificed a lot to help their son achieve his Masters dream
McIlroy finally ended his long wait to win the Masters in April but is now on track to win a calendar Grand Slam
‘It means even more that they were still around to be able to see me complete the slam and fulfil those dreams.’
His victory comes 14 years after the heartache of his capitulation on the back nine at the 2011 Masters. This was a tournament that has dogged him for so long, with McIlroy coming agonisingly close to winning in 2022, which was sandwiched by two missed cuts in 2021 and 2023. But it was as though fate finally manifested itself on April 13, McIlroy had banished his demons at Augusta, finally ended his 11-year major drought, and sunk to his knees on the 18th green in an outpouring of relief and elation.
Had he always known he’d win the coveted Green Jacket?
‘I always had hope,’ the world No 2 said. ‘It’s not as if I wasn’t going to show up at Augusta and feel like I couldn’t win. The week that I feel like that, I’ll go up there for the Champions Dinner and swan around in my green jacket, but I won’t be playing.
‘Yeah, I always had hope. I always felt like I had the game. And like I think, as everyone saw on that back nine on Sunday, it was about getting over. I don’t know what the right phrase is, but defeating my own mind was sort of the big thing for me and getting over that hurdle.’
His back nine at Augusta was a rollercoaster of emotions, with McIlroy going five shots clear through 10, before chipping into the water on 13 for a double bogey. On the 15th he’d produce an incredible approach shot pulling his golf ball around the trees to go down for a birdie, before bogeying the 18th to go to a play-off with Justin Rose.
‘Look, I’m just glad that it’s done,’ he said, speaking on that final day.
‘I don’t want to ever have to go back to that Sunday afternoon again. I’m glad that I finished the way I did, and we can all move on with our lives.’
The world No 2 (pictured with daughter poppy, centre, and wife Erica, right) returns this week to compete in the Truist Championship ahead of the PGA Championship next week
But McIlroy says after winning the Masters, he is feeling a ‘lot less pressure’ heading into next week’s event at Quail Hollow
McIlroy is certainly moving in the right direction.
Now, a week out from the PGA Championship, it feels like the shackles are off and McIlroy is ready to play free – which is a dangerous thought for the rest of the field. That becomes even more intimidating, noting that he has won four times at Quail Hollow during his PGA Tour career.
‘I’m obviously going to feel more comfortable and a lot less pressure, and I’m also going back to a venue that I love.
‘It’s nothing but positive vibes going in there next week with what happened a few weeks ago and then with my history there and how well I’ve played at Quail.
‘Yeah, it probably will feel a little bit different. I probably won’t be quite as on edge as I have been for the last few years when I’ve been at major championships.
‘I’ll probably be a little bit better to be around for my family, and I’ll be a little more relaxed. I think overall it will be a good thing.’