Rory McIlroy finally finished his long quest for the coveted Green Jacket after 11 years. Yes, he bogeyed the last hole to push the play into a playoff with Justin Rose. However, the Irishman also recovered with a birdie in the playoff hole to win the title. During his round, some eagle-eyed fans noticed that the Irishman had a fluffy dog headcover on his driver. Some reports speculate he may have picked it up from The Dog House—or maybe it’s a nod to how often he’s found himself in our Dog House.

However, the golfer himself never confirmed anything about it. At the same time, the 35-year-old has confirmed that he has a love for dogs. “So I’ve had this headcover since I was 14 years old,” McIlroy told his club sponsor. “I’ve always loved dogs, I had a couple of dogs growing up and I’m just a big dog person,” as revealed on Golf Monthly.

Rory McIlroy is so fond of his dog that he often brings his furry companion along when he travels. So, his dog has seen the world almost as him. “This guy has done a lot of air miles, we’ve probably been around the world together 100 times so he’s seen a lot of cool things,” noted the 35-year-old. Growing up in Hollywood, Northern Ireland, he named his first dog Theo—after the first name of his idol, Ernie Els, who later became a close friend.

He indeed loves his pet a lot. However, McIlroy also seems to be a fan of animals in general. Back in 2019, when he was in Dubai, the golfer posted a video on his Instagram captioned, “Made a new friend today in Dubai 🍎 🐘.” In the clip, he was feeding apples to an elephant and was playing with it. That same year, he also shared his visit to the Black Jaguar White Tiger Foundation, where, much like in Dubai, he was seen playing with spider monkeys and cubs. Interestingly, he also once showed his admiration for dogs on the greens.

Rory McIlroy promoted a charity for puppies

This incident goes back to the 2024 Zurich Classic. McIlroy joined CBS reporter Amanda Balionis for her “Puppies and Golf” charity. Launched in 2020, the charity focuses on fostering meaningful bonds between humans and rescue dogs while also promoting the benefits of adopting pets instead of buying from breeders. The charity’s Instagram later shared a video featuring the Irishman. In the clip, he was trying to help a dog named Cuddles find her home.

“Hi, everyone, I’m Rory McIlroy, and this is Cuddles. Cuddles is waiting to be adopted and find her forever home. So, if you feel so inclined, if you want to adopt her, I guess click the link and you’ll know where to find her,” further added the golfer. Throughout the shoot of the video, McIlroy had a big, bright smile on his face, and he was playing with Cuddles. It certainly explains his warm side toward animals, especially dogs.

What do you think about this side of Rory McIlroy? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!