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Irish Daily Mirror
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish golfer goes viral after leaving pals in stitches at Rory McIlroy's club
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.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Schupak: I took the 'Rory McIlroy Tour' and played his childhood course. Here's what I learned
HOLYWOOD, Northern Ireland — I always wanted to get my picture with the famous Holywood sign. Not the one with two 'l's' high in the mountains in Los Angeles, an American landmark and cultural icon, but the one pronouncing this town of approximately 10,000 lying on the shores of Belfast Lough, between Belfast, Northern Island's capital, and Bangor. This one proudly proclaims upon entrance: 'Welcome to Holywood, historical gem of the Lough and home of Rory McIlroy.' Just a quarter-mile away, perched high in the Holywood Hills of County Down is Holywood Golf Club, a picturesque 18-hole parkland course where the Grand Slam champion cut his teeth. In April, after McIlroy won the Masters to become the sixth golfer ever to complete the career Grand Slam, the club launched the Rory McIlroy Tour to formalize a way for his golf fans from all over the globe who had been showing up unannounced for years to celebrate his journey to golfing greatness. The tour costs 22 pounds for adults and 17 per child (age 16 and under). It includes fresh Irish scones with jam and cream. The advertisement also offers a coffee or tea but I was given the choice of a Guinness and had the barkeep pour me one of those instead. There are photo opportunities with replicas of his trophies and memorabilia – no Green Jacket just yet! – and a chance to purchase 'the Home of Rory McIlroy' memorabilia in the pro shop. I had some time to kill before my 'tee time' so I drove through the town, past Sullivan Upper School, where he attended grammar school, and parked nearby the famed maypole at the crossroads in the town's center. Its origin is uncertain but according to folklore, it dates from 1700 when a Dutch ship is said to have run aground on the shore nearby. The crew erected the broken mast to show their appreciation of the assistance offered to them by the townsfolk. It was a good landmark to find the aptly named Maypole Bar, which the locals call Ned, and McIlroy biographer Tim Gay claims in his book 'Rory Land,' pours the finest Guinness in all the Emerald Isle. When I arrived for the tour, Paula Denvir, a member since 2010 and last year's ladies club captain, met me in the parking lot. The course overlooks Belfast Harbor, where McIlroy's grandfather worked the docks which would later launch the ill-fated Titanic. 'It was fine when it left here,' Denvir joked. She started the tour at the club's fitness center, which overlooks the 18th green, and an indoor training center equipped with Trackman and several simulator hitting bays that have become popular during the winter. McIlroy personally funded this wing of the clubhouse, which opened in 2019, and Denvir said it has created a new revenue stream of members who only want to use the world-class gym. From there, she led me on a private tour of the Holywood clubhouse, where McIlroy's father, Gerry, was the bar manager. At age seven, a full five years before junior memberships typically began, a young and precocious Rory believed he was ready for the course. 'He said, 'I won't hold anybody up. I'm one of the fastest players and I know all the rules of golf,' ' Denvir recounted in one of the many stories that she shared. The walls of the 'Rory Room' filled in the rest. There's a collage of photos of McIlroy through the years and the ones of him from a tender, young age are the best, including with the likes of Darren Clarke and Nick Faldo. There's a framed photo of McIlroy in jacket and tie holding the trophy as champion of the 2003 Ulster Boys Under 18. Next to it resides a photo of McIlroy's caddie, Harry Diamond, who won the same title in 2002. Scorecards of the course record are framed, too. Surprisingly, a McIlroy once owned the course record, but not Rory – his uncle, Colm, held that honor. The trophy cabinet is chock full of McIlroy baubles, including all the big ones. McIlroy has donated clubs and bags he's used to win Ryder Cups and majors. Denvir unlocked the cases and took out the replica trophies. 'Lift away,' she said. Then she led me through the bar where more than 100 members gathered to watch the final round of the Masters in April. 'It was unbearable at times,' Devnir said. 'You should have heard all the expletives. We all just sat in there going, 'Seriously, this is what you're putting us through.'' But Devnir kept the faith and the celebration that ensued was worth all the heartache. Her husband, the current club president, did 12 hours of media the next day. They stamped McIlroy's signature on a scorecard for me and I bought a ballmark and a club logo hoodie from the well-stocked pro shop with merchandise that reflected that this was the home of the Grand Slam champ. Devnir said that when the Irish Open was played at Royal Portrush, McIlroy had stayed in Holywood and used the gym before making the 60-mile drive north, and predicted he might do the same this week. After the Rory Tour, I took on the 6,015-yard hillside course. The terraced fairways slope towards Belfast and rarely provide a flat lie. I can see how his trademark draw was shaped at holes such as the first, where everything kicks right and the dogleg fifth. It's a quirky course with some killer views from up high by the 10th green. McIlroy noted in his Tuesday press conference that it had probably been 15 years since he last played the course. But should he stop by this week to use the gym or enjoy a pint at the bar where his father once poured the drinks, his primo parking spot will be waiting for him. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Schupak: I took the Rory McIlroy Tour in Holywood, Northern Ireland
Irish Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Justin Thomas makes Rory McIlroy comparison as he opens up on PGA Tour win
For Justin Thomas, the overwhelming feeling after winning the RBC Heritage on Sunday was relief. That win was his first on the PGA Tour for three years, a drought that had seen him fail to get the job done since the 2022 PGA Championship. A week on from seeing Rory McIlroy end his own infamous drought, Thomas has shared his feelings on the win and believes there are some parallels between what Rory and himself were going through. Reflecting on the weight lifted by his latest achievement, Thomas likened his feelings to those McIlroy surely experienced at Augusta. "It's obviously incredibly different from Rory's situation, but there is a little bit of relief there. This was just the me of old. I was just really patient today," Thomas expressed, according to Jason Sobel of SiriusXM. "It's so hard to force the issue on a course like this. It's so fast and so much fun to play. I'm really proud of myself." Even faced with the high stakes of a playoff, Thomas confessed he had missed the thrill of victory, yet he aimed to enjoy every moment on the green. "I've never made a putt to win a tournament before, of length," he shared. "Been fortunate to have a lot of tap-ins but that was pretty cool. It wasn't as fun as much as I thought it would be," reports the Express. "Winning is hard, it's really hard but I've worked my butt off and stayed patient and positive," Thomas proclaimed, reflecting on his triumph. McIlroy is all set to tee off at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Shane Lowry to defend their title in his first tournament since winning the Masters. In what has been a phenomenal beginning to the year, the 35-year-old golf sensation has received a bold prediction from Trevor Heaven, the men's captain at Holywood Golf Club, who believes McIlroy could bag a further five majors. Rory's fellow Northern Irishman claimed: "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 favourite. 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."
Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Justin Thomas' comment about Rory McIlroy speaks volumes after RBC Heritage win
Justin Thomas claimed a first PGA Tour victory since 2022 at the RBC Heritage and the American admitted he felt a similar level of relief as Rory McIlroy did after winning the Masters Justin Thomas has opened up about the immense relief he felt after clinching the RBC Heritage, his first PGA Tour victory in three years, drawing parallels to Rory McIlroy 's long-awaited Masters win. The 31-year-old American golfer secured his first Tour win since 2022 on Sunday by edging out Andrew Novak in a tense one-hole playoff in South Carolina. Despite bagging a second PGA Championship in 2022, Thomas hadn't managed to capitalise on that triumph until now, finally adding to his trophy cabinet and pocketing a cool £2.7million ($3.6m) prize fund. Speaking of the burden lifted with his latest win, Thomas compared his emotions to those McIlroy must have felt at Augusta. "It's obviously incredibly different from Rory's situation, but there is a little bit of relief there. This was just the me of old. I was just really patient today," Thomas expressed, according to Jason Sobel of SiriusXM. "It's so hard to force the issue on a course like this. It's so fast and so much fun to play. I'm really proud of myself." Even faced with the high stakes of a playoff, Thomas confessed he had missed the thrill of victory, yet he aimed to enjoy every moment on the green. "I've never made a putt to win a tournament before, of length," he shared. "Been fortunate to have a lot of tap-ins but that was pretty cool. It wasn't as fun as much as I thought it would be," reports the Express. "Winning is hard, it's really hard but I've worked my butt off and stayed patient and positive," Thomas proclaimed, reflecting on his triumph. McIlroy is all set to tee off at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Shane Lowry to defend their title in his first tournament since winning the Masters. In what has been a phenomenal beginning to the year, the 35-year-old golf sensation has received a bold prediction from Trevor Heaven, the men's captain at Holywood Golf Club, who believes McIlroy could bag a further five majors. Rory's fellow Northern Irishman claimed: "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. 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."
CNN
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Rory McIlroy could go onto win 10 majors now Masters ‘shackles are off,' says men's captain of his hometown golf club
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 CNN Sports. '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.' 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.'
