‘Behind every great man, there is a woman’. I think we all have heard of that saying. However, have you ever heard that behind every great athlete lies a supportive figure in the face of their parents? No? Well, it is true, and in Rory McIlroy’s case, that person is his father, Gerry McIlroy. Ever since childhood, the golfer’s father dedicated himself to helping McIlroy turn his love for golf into something big. And it would’t have been possible without the groundwork his father did for him, as McIlroy says so.

Being a golf enthusiast himself, Gerry McIlroy also has a handicap of 2 and many believe that it was his passion for golf that inspired McIlroy. He has quite some skills in the game and is ready to showcase them at the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Championship. The event is set to take off on October 3rd and features a prize purse of $5 million, so who’s excited? Because we sure are. If you think this was the first time McIlroy senior will be hitting the greens, you are mistaken, my friend.

Because Rory McIlroy and his father, Gerry, have made the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship a family tradition since their debut in 2009. Yes, it has been that long!

But it was the event in 2019 that stood out among all. In 2019, they came agonizingly close to winning the Pro-Am Team Championship, finishing second behind Tommy Fleetwood and Ogden Phipps II. While many fans were indeed glad for the winners, they couldn’t help but be sad for the McIlroys, as that year was probably the best performance by McIlroy and his father.

Despite the disappointment, the experience made the special bond they now share on and off the course. Hence, the fans are excited to see McIlroy’s dad take home the trophy, as they already know how many sacrifices he has made for the golfer to get him to where he is today.

You could say Rory McIlroy was destined to be one of the outstanding golfers, as he showed an interest in the sport from a pretty young age. His dad introduced him to the game when he was just a toddler, and those early range sessions lit a fire that’s still burning bright today. According to the People, by the time McIlroy was 21 months old, he had gotten his first plastic golf club, and as four years passed by, he showed signs of blooming into a top player in the future.

Recognizing his potential, his dad brought in coach Michael Banno to help hone his skills and the rest is history.

McIlroy’s father wasn’t just a supportive parent, he was his practice partner, coach, and caddie until he turned 17. McIlroy Senior traveled with the golfer to tournaments by sacrificing time and energy to help his son chase his dreams. But those sacrifices didn’t go to waste, as now everyone in the golf world knows McIlroy’s name. The golfer respects and acknowledges his parents’ struggles, and has even voiced them out.

Rory McIlroy would ‘never be able to repay his mum and dad’

You may think you know Rory McIlroy’s story, but you might not know the various sacrifices his parents made to get him where he is today.

His father, Gerry, put in 100 hours of work every week by juggling three jobs to support his son’s golf dreams for 4 long years. These jobs included working night shifts at a local factory in Holywood to cleaning showers and even toilets at a sports club.

“I’d work from 8am to noon as a cleaner at a sports club. From 12-6pm I was a bartender at Holywood Golf Club; then, after going home for tea, I’d return to the sports club from 7 pm-midnight to work behind the bar,” recalled Gerry McIlroy in an interview with Dailymail.

But it all paid off, and it’s no wonder McIlroy credits his parents for his success. The golfer has said previously that he could never repay his parents. “I’ll never be able to repay mum and dad for what they did. But at least they know they’ll never have to work another day. I’ll do whatever it takes to look after them,” the PGA Tour icon said previously.

McIlroy’s story is definitely an inspiration for all the struggling young golfers out there. So what do you think about the golfer’s story? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below!