The epic highs and dumfounding lows of Rory McIlroy's wild golf career
A drought-breaking moment
Rory McIlroy finally broke free of a decade of doubt and pressure to clinch a drought breaking major triumph at the 2025 Masters.
He endured plenty of heartbreak - on and off the course - to get there.
Wide World of Sports has compiled some of Rory's best and worst moments.
Professional debut
After a successful junior career, McIlroy turned pro in September 2007 and made his first professional start the next day at the British Masters. He finished in a tie for 42nd.
His next start was at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where he finished third.
Securing European Tour card
At just his third European Tour event at the 2007 Open de Madrid Valle Romano, he finished in a tie for fourth, and aged just 18, became the youngest European Tour affiliate member to earn a tour card.
He entered the top 200 in world rankings the following January.
First professional win
McIlroy's first career victory came in 2009 with a wire-to-wire win at the Dubai Desert Classic.
The then-19-year-old carded a final round 2-under 70 to finish at 19-under to beat Justin Rose by one shot over – the same Justin Rose he beat in the 2025 Masters playoff.
First major
The world got its first proper look at Rory McIlroy when he finished T20 in his first Masters appearance in 2009.
He was involved in a controversial moment in the second round, when he kicked out at the sand after failing to hit out of a bunker on the 18th. He was called to the clubhouse at 8.40pm - four and a half hours after his round - but was cleared of any wrongdoing.
First PGA Tour win
McIlroy joined the PGA Tour for 2010, and picked up his first win at the Quail Hollow Championship by a whopping seven shots.
It would be the first of four wins at the venue, which will host the 2025 PGA Championship.
2011 Masters meltdown
Evoking memories of Greg Norman's epic meltdown 15 years earlier, McIlroy entered the final round with a four shot lead but bombed during the final round.
2011 Masters meltdown
He bogeyed the first hole and things went from bad to worse from there.
He made a triple bogey on the 10th and then missed the green and four-putted for double on the 12th. He sighed for an 8-over 80 to tumble to tied 15th.
First major win (2011 US Open)
But in the very next major, he bounced back from that heartbreak in spectacular fashion with a wire-to-wire win at the US Open at Congressional Country Club.
He took an eight-shot lead into the final round and carded a final round 69 to maintain it over Jason Day. His four-round aggregate and his to-par score set new US Open records.
World No.1
By winning the 2012 Honda Classic, McIlroy moved to the top of the world rankings for the first time.
He and Luke Donald would exchange the position numerous times over the coming months, but it was McIlroy on top come season's end.
