Irish golfer goes viral after leaving pals in stitches at Rory McIlroy's club

Irish Daily Mirror

31-07-2025

Holywood Golf Club has produced one of the greatest players of all time - but now it may have provided us with one of the funniest tee shots ever caught on camera.
Rory McIlroy may well be the sweetest driver of a golf ball in the history of the game and when players rock up at his native Holywood Golf Club, they are trying to emulate the Masters champion, in some little way.
Holywood Social Club held an outing there at the weekend and a hilarious video of the honorary first tee shot has gone viral, accounting for almost two million views on social media - so far.
Proudly boasting a green jacket, similar to that claimed by McIlroy for his Masters triumph at Augusta in April, Conor McGeown has the fortune to be hitting the first tee shot of the day in front of the entire group.
Holywood Social Club's opening shot of the day is always taken by the person who finished last in their previous outing, and the golfer must wear a green jacket for the occasion.
Hole 1 at Holywood GC is a 336 yard par four. A challenging opener with out of bounds along the left tree line and a steep bank off the right side of the green. The website provides a helpful tip from none other than McIlroy himself, who says: "The opening tee shot requires accuracy, by favoring the left side of the fairway, you provide yourself a full view of the green. Keep approach shot to the middle or left side of the green, avoiding green right!'
McGeown may have had that in mind as he went left with the driver. Way left.
Perhaps nerves played a major part, as he clipped the ball into a tree on his left just yards from the tee box. After a brief moment of confusion, the ball reappeared, bouncing back along the path onto the tee box and some 20 yards back from where he teed off. Conor McGeown hits the disastrous first tee shot and, right, is presented with the 'honorary' green jacket on previous outing (Image: Holywood Social Club)
His assembled clubmates cannot contain their laughter in the hilarious clip which was quickly posted on the club's Facebook account.
"Our golf section had another fantastic outing yesterday held at Holywood golf club, some brilliant golf played with plenty of laughs had by all. The winners were: Gary Humphries - winner ( better back 9 ), Colm McIlroy - 2nd, Billy white - 3rd. Winner of the famous green jacket Richard Round.
"But special mention has to go to Conor Mcgeown who undoubtedly played the best trick shot anyone will ever see, watch for yourselves in the video," said the post.
Their video has now been viewed 750,000 times on Facebook. On top of that, the popular NUCLR GOLF account on Twitter/X shared the video with the caption - Rough start to the boys trip. Their video on X has just shy of one million views.