Rory McIlroy: Player Profile
Who is Rory McIlroy?
One of the most gifted golfers in the history of the sport, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is a four-time major champion, former World No 1, and one of the faces of both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.
McIlroy had the opportunity to move Stateside to play college golf, but opted to stay at home, playing amateur golf in Europe. He topped the World Amateur Golf Rankings, and was a member of European Walker Cup teams before turning professional.
His third professional victory was also his first major title. McIlroy lifted the 2011 US Open, where his aggregate score of 268 was a new record for the tournament, as he finished eight shots clear of the field. That was followed by two wins at the PGA Championship (in 2012 and 2014), and the Open Championship in 2014. A T2 finish at the Masters Tournament in 2022 is the closest McIlroy has come to completing the Grand Slam at the majors.
The Northern Irishman has won the PGA Tour’s season-long FedEx Cup on three occasions, the DP World Tour’s season-long Race to Dubai five times. He has also won the BMW PGA Championship and the Players Championship, the flagship events on the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour, respectively. McIlroy is a three-time Rolex Series champion, all of which came in 2023 and 2024. He won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in both years, while adding the Genesis Scottish Open title to his cabinet as well.
McIlroy has been a key part of the European team for more than a decade, with seven Ryder Cup appearances to his name. He has 18 points across those six events, with the European team winning on five occasions. He secured four points at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone, helping Europe to win back the trophy.
Rory McIlroy | An Overview
Personal Information
Name: Rory Daniel McIlroy
Born: May 4, 1989
Nationality: Northern Ireland
Residence: Jupiter, Florida, United States
Career
Turned Pro: 2007
Professional Wins: 38
Highest World Ranking: 1 – March 4, 2012
Best Results In Majors
Best Finishes:
– Masters Tournament – 2nd (2022)
– PGA Championship – WON (2012, 2014)
– US Open – WON (2011)
– Open Championship – WON (2014)
Professional Wins – 38
2009 (1) – Dubai Desert Classic
2010 (1) – Quail Hollow Championship
2011 (3) – US Open, Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters, UBS Hong Kong Open
2012 (5) – Honda Classic, PGA Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship, BMW Championship, DP World Tour Championship
2013 (1) – Emirates Australian Open
2014 (4) – BMW PGA Championship, Open Championship, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, PGA Championship
2015 (4) – Omega Dubai Desert Classic, WGC-Cadillac Match Play, Wells Fargo Championship, DP World Tour Championship
2016 (3) – Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, Deutsche Bank Championship, Tour Championship
2018 (1) – Arnold Palmer Invitational
2019 (4) – The PLAYERS Championship, RBC Canadian Open, Tour Championship, WGC-HSBC Champions
2021 (2) – Wells Fargo Championship, CJ Cup
2022 (3) – RBC Canadian Open, Tour Championship, CJ Cup
2023 (2) – Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Genesis Scottish Open
2024 (1) – Hero Dubai Desert Classic
Achievements and Awards
PGA Player of the Year – 2012, 2013-14
PGA Tour Player of the Year – 2012, 2013-14, 2018-19
Vardon Trophy – 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022
Byron Nelson Award – 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022
Race to Dubai Champion – 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023
European Tour Golfer of the Year – 2012, 2014, 2015
European Tour Players’ Golfer of the Year – 2012, 2014, 2015
Mark H. McCormack Award – 2012, 2014, 2015
FedEx Cup Champion – 2016, 2019, 2022
Rory McIlroy | What’s In His Bag?
McIlroy is part of Team TaylorMade, and uses the new Qi10 driver. He also plays Stealth Plus fairway woods, with his own Rors prototype irons. The four-time major champ wears Nike apparel and shoes.
Check out our full piece on what’s in Rory McIlroy’s bag here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Rory McIlroy
When and where was Rory McIlroy born?
Rory McIlroy was born on May 4, 1989, in Holywood, Northern Ireland. McIlroy started playing golf at a very early age. His talent was recognized when he was still a toddler, hitting 40-yard drives at the age of two. McIlroy turned professional in 2007, at the age of 18.
Who is Rory McIlroy married to?
McIlroy married former PGA of America employee Erica Stoll in 2017, having been dating for two years prior. Their daughter, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, was born in August 2020.
ALSO: Learn more about Erica here
What is Rory McIlroy’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Rory McIlroy’s net worth is around $170 million. He has earned more than $125 million from PGA Tour winnings alone. That places him 2nd behind only Tiger Woods as the leading PGA Tour money earner.
Who are some of the golfers that Rory McIlroy is often compared to?
Due to his early success and phenomenal talent, Rory McIlroy is often compared to golf legends like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Gary Player.
What records does Rory McIlroy hold?
Some of McIlroy’s significant records include being the youngest player to reach $10 million in career earnings on the PGA Tour, the first European to win three different majors, and winning his first two major championships with record-breaking 8-shot victories.
Did you Know?
First European to Win Three Different Majors
McIlroy’s major victories span the U.S. Open in 2011, the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014, and The Open Championship in 2014, making him the first European golfer to have been successful in three different majors.
Part of the Elite ‘Three Majors Before 25’ Club
With his victory at the 2014 Open Championship, McIlroy joined an exclusive group including Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as one of the only players to win three of golf’s four majors before turning 25.
Record Breaking 8-Shot Wins
Rory secured his first two major championships with 8-shot victories, matching the largest winning margins in the history of both the U.S. Open and PGA Championship.
Youngest Member of Europe’s Ryder Cup Team
In 2010, at just 21 years old, McIlroy became the youngest player to make the European Ryder Cup team, underlining his exceptional talent from an early age. He has gone on to be a focal part of the team ever since.
Other Rory McIlroy Articles
Rory McIlroy schedule and results: Where will he play next?
Rory McIlroy set to make shock return to PGA Tour Policy Board
McIlroy dismisses rumours of $850 million LIV Golf move
Tiger is convinced the McIlroy major grand slam will happen – but is Rory?
Rory McIlroy plots late arrival to Augusta ahead of the Masters
Rory McIlroy takes aim at Greg Norman ahead of PGA Tour-PIF meeting
Rory, Spieth, and Hovland face off in rules spat at The Players
Rory McIlroy fights Jay Monahan’s corner: ‘We all need to move on’
Less players and less cards! Rory McIlroy wants ‘cut-throat’ PGA Tour
‘It means a lot’: Rory McIlroy sees Players Championship just like a major
Rory McIlroy’s rage over PGA Tour-LIV merger caught on Full Swing series
Rory McIlroy’s advice for Talor Gooch: Be more like Joaquin Niemann!
‘It’s noteworthy’: Talor Gooch defends controversial Rory McIlroy asterisk claim
Talor Gooch: Rory McIlroy’s major grand slam would have an asterisk
Could Rory McIlroy do the unthinkable?
Will Rory forever be involved in the PGA Tour’s affairs?
‘Let them come back’: McIlroy completes U-turn on LIV Golf
Rory McIlroy reveals dream scenario for future of golf
Rory McIlroy would retire if LIV Golf was only option
Stunning LIV Golf plans for Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods revealed
Is Rory McIlroy the greatest golfer of this generation? Let us know with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
Matt Coles
Mention a European country, and Matt will tell you which resorts make the National Club Golfer Top 100s: European Resorts list. He might even throw in who designed the golf course and how many rooms the hotel has got at each one…
Matt got into the game of golf from a young age, following his old man to the local golf club. He fell for the sport, and now can’t seem to go a day without thinking about how to improve his game (Thanks Dad!). Matt has been a member of Howley Hall GC in Leeds since 2020, and is just about managing to maintain a single-figure handicap. He likes to remind people that he once broke 75, but won’t tell people that it was on a shortened course during the winter.
He moved to Leeds after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Journalism. Matt joined NCG after almost five years travelling the world with the Professional Squash Association, working on events in all four corners of the globe.
Matt currently plays a Cobra King LTDx driver and RadSpeed 3-wood. TaylorMade monopolise the rest of his bag, with a SIM UDI, M5 irons and both Milled Grind and HI-TOE wedges, along with a Monza Redline putter. He uses a Vice Pro Plus golf ball, because he’s a bit different…
Away from golf, Matt is a Manchester United fan, and a keen runner, having ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (his first and possibly last), in May 2023.
