As Rory McIlroy sunk to his knees in celebration, the party of all parties was about to begin.
McIlroy ended his long wait to win the Masters last Sunday, joining an exclusive list of golfers to complete golf’s career grand slam – winning each of the four majors.
And back in his native Northern Ireland, the celebrations were just about to begin, despite the late hour.
Images from inside the Holywood Golf Club clubhouse – the place where McIlroy began his golfing journey and where he is an honorary member – show the pure delight at seeing one of their own finally banish his demons, jumping to their feet and cheering as McIlroy drained his winning putt before embracing one another.
Trevor Heaven, the men’s captain at Holywood, remembers the feeling of seeing the local boy finally slip on the famous green jacket.
“Oh, it was fantastic: the emotions, the excitement, the crowd, the noise,” Heaven told “People jumping up and down, people going outside because they couldn’t watch it, it was just a fantastic evening.”
It’s not been an easy journey for McIlroy, having to endure 11 years of highs and lows as he strived to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to win all four majors.
Those years were filled with the joy of winning other, big-name tournaments but also the lows of injuries, near misses and high-profile collapses – none more so than at the 2011 Masters where he blew a big third-round lead to finish tied for 15th.
But the turbulent nature of his career since exploding onto the scene almost 15 years ago makes his victory at Augusta even sweeter, says Heaven.
“Over the years, he’s always gone down, he’s gone up, he’s gone down, but he’s always come back. He’s a battler,” Heaven explained. “He always gets his way around and he finds a way to win.
“This time on Sunday, when he had the disappointment on the 13th hole, he pulled it back on the 15th hole, then he pulled it back on the 17th hole, and then he had to do it all again on the playoff. It was such an achievement that it’ll go down in history as one of the greatest Masters ever.”
‘The shackles are off now’
McIlroy’s journey into golf has become part of local folklore, beginning as an avid fan of Tiger Woods and spending long hours on the driving range honing his skills from a young age.
Heaven first encountered McIlroy when he was six years old and remembers he and Michael Bannon – another aspiring player and now McIlroy’s coach – hitting drives down the 17th hole at Holywood Golf Club.
“All the other golfers used to be coming through the course, and they used to stop and watch, and they just couldn’t believe how good he was at that age, hitting the balls down the 17th hole,” Heaven remembers.
McIlroy was always surrounded by golf, Heaven explains, beginning with his grandfather Jimmy who was a member at Holywood.
McIlroy’s parents, Gerry and Rosie, went to great lengths to ensure that McIlroy could fulfill his full potential as a golfer, as Heaven paid tribute to their dedication for providing him with an opportunity to flourish.
“When (McIlroy) was growing up as a young boy, Gerry and his mom, Rosie, they had many jobs to support Rory,” Heaven explained. “To support him on his career, to take him to all the tournaments, to travel all around Ireland so he could enter the tournaments.
“And it was such a commitment by the parents, everyone in Holywood acknowledges that, that they went through hard times to make Rory turn up at all the tournaments.”
And all the hard work and long hours have paid off with McIlroy cementing his name in the history books with his victory at this year’s Masters.
Winning at Augusta National had become the one achievement that had remained elusive for McIlroy across his golfing career, but with that weight no longer on his back, Heaven believes he can go onto bigger and better things and surpass 10 major titles – he currently has five – now that the “shackles are off.”
“I think it’s a free run over the next couple of years, and he’s so talented that when he turns up to all the golf tournaments, he’s always the favorite,” he said.
“But Rory pushes through the ‘Rory-coaster.’ He makes us wait but the excitement, the humbleness of the guy, the professionalism of the guy, the homeboy of Holywood, it’s an unbelievable achievement that he’s done, and he’s now a global superstar.”
