sports champions players: rory mcilroy top golf stars picture

Rory McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland. He has represented Ireland, Europe, and Great Britain & Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007. Later that year he turned professional and soon established himself on the European Tour. He had his first win on the European Tour in 2009, and on the PGA Tour in 2010. He represented Europe in the 2010 Ryder Cup.

On 19 June 2011, he won the U.S. Open, his first major. He finished with a record score of 16-under-par on his way to an eight-shot victory, as the youngest winner since Bobby Jones in 1923. He has been cited as the most exciting young prospect in golf and having the potential to become one of the highest earners in sports in terms of endorsements. The victory lifted McIlroy's position in the Official World Golf Ranking to a career high of number four
Early life, family, and early golf development
McIlroy was born in Holywood, County Down, a port town of 12,000 people in Northern Ireland, located close to the capital city Belfast. He is the only child of Gerry and Rosie (McDonald) McIlroy; he attended St. Patrick's primary school and then the Sullivan Upper School.

He was introduced to golf at an exceptionally young age by his father, who coached him from at least the age of 18 months. Gerry McIlroy is a fine golfer himself, who once played at a scratch handicap level. Young Rory gave early evidence of his golf potential by hitting a 40-yard drive at the age of two years. Rory was very keen for the sport from the start, and asked his father virtually every day to take him to the golf course. Family lore relates young Rory receiving a new golf club as a present, being shown the correct grip by his father, then taking the club to bed with him that night, with his hands holding the club properly. A video on golf technique produced by champion Nick Faldo was his early favourite. Once Rory's golf talents started to show, Gerry McIlroy held down several jobs to earn additional income for his son's golf development, and his mother Rosie worked extra shifts at the local 3M plant. Within years Rory excelled and won a succession of competitions for his age group. His first significant international victory came in the World Championship for the 9–10 age group bracket at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, Florida