Rory McIlroy's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Rory McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy is a highly accomplished Northern Irish professional golfer, renowned for his performances on both the European and PGA Tours. He achieved the world number one ranking and held it for over 100 weeks. McIlroy is a five-time major champion and one of only six golfers to accomplish a modern career Grand Slam. Notably, he is the first European to ever achieve this prestigious feat.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1923: Bobby Jones' U.S. Open

In 1923, Bobby Jones was the youngest winner of the U.S. Open, until Rory McIlroy won the U.S. Open at age 22 in 2011.

1980: Jack Nicklaus' U.S. Open Record

In 1980, Jack Nicklaus jointly held the U.S. Open 72-hole aggregate score record of 272 before Rory McIlroy broke it in 2011.

1980: Jack Nicklaus PGA Championship Win

In 1980, Jack Nicklaus won the PGA Championship by seven strokes, a record for the largest margin-of-victory at the PGA Championship, before Rory McIlroy broke it in 2012.

1993: Lee Janzen's U.S. Open Record

In 1993, Lee Janzen jointly held the U.S. Open 72-hole aggregate score record of 272 before Rory McIlroy broke it in 2011.

2000: Tiger Woods' U.S. Open Record

In 2000, Tiger Woods jointly held the U.S. Open 72-hole aggregate score record of 272 before Rory McIlroy broke it in 2011 and his 12-under in relation to par at Pebble Beach Golf Links was beat by Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open in 2011.

2002: Ulster Boys' U15 Championship Win

In 2002, Rory McIlroy won the Ulster Boys' U15 Championship, showcasing his early talent in golf.

2003: Jim Furyk's U.S. Open Record

In 2003, Jim Furyk jointly held the U.S. Open 72-hole aggregate score record of 272 before Rory McIlroy broke it in 2011.

2003: Ulster Boys' U18 Championship Win

In 2003, Rory McIlroy won the Ulster Boys' U18 Championship, continuing his success in junior golf.

2004: European Boys' Team Championship

In 2004, Rory McIlroy was a member of the Irish team at the European Boys' Team Championship in Finland and the European team which won the Junior Ryder Cup against the United States in Ohio.

2005: Young Player of the Year Award

In 2005, McIlroy received the Young Player of the Year award at the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards.

2005: Championship Wins and Decision to Forgo Scholarship

In 2005, Rory McIlroy became the youngest-ever winner of both the West of Ireland Championship and the Irish Close Championship. After these wins, he decided to forgo a golf scholarship at East Tennessee State University and continue to play amateur golf in Europe.

2005: Rory McIlroy's PGA Tour Feat

Since 2005, Rory McIlroy became the only person other than Tiger Woods to win four PGA Tour events in a single season as of September 2012.

August 2006: European Amateur Win

In August 2006, Rory McIlroy won the European Amateur at Biella Golf Club, near Milan, Italy, earning him an exemption to The Open Championship the following year.

2007: European Amateur Team Championship Win

In 2007, Rory McIlroy competed for Ireland at the European Amateur Team Championship, with Shane Lowry as a teammate. McIlroy was the individual leader, and Ireland defeated France to win their first title since 1987.

2007: Tiger Woods First FedEx Cup Win

In August 2019, McIlroy secured his second FedEx Cup title. Tiger Woods had previously won the FedEx Cup in 2007.

January 2008: Top 200 OWGR

On 27 January 2008, Rory McIlroy entered the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for the first time.

November 2008: Top 50 OWGR

In November 2008, after finishing second in the UBS Hong Kong Open, Rory McIlroy moved into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

2008: George Best Breakthrough Prize

In 2008, McIlroy won the George Best Breakthrough Prize.

February 2009: First Professional Win

On 1 February 2009, at the age of 19, Rory McIlroy achieved his first professional win at the Dubai Desert Classic, elevating him to 16th in the OWGR.

2009: Belfast Telegraph Sports Star of the Year award

In 2009, McIlroy was honored with the Belfast Telegraph Sports Star of the Year award, adding to his accolades.

2009: First European Tour Win

In 2009, Rory McIlroy achieved his first win on the European Tour.

2009: Continued success on the European Tour and first PGA Championship

In 2009, Rory McIlroy finished fifth at the BMW PGA Championship and 12th at the European Open in May, he played in his second major as a professional at the U.S. Open, where he finished in a tie for 10th, in July, McIlroy played in the Open Championship, and finished T-47 and in August, he tied for 3rd on debut at the PGA Championship. McIlroy finished the 2009 season ranked second on the Race to Dubai, behind Lee Westwood, and in November he entered the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time and represented Ireland at the World Cup, alongside Graeme McDowell.

2009: Tiger Woods Second FedEx Cup Win

In August 2019, McIlroy secured his second FedEx Cup title. Tiger Woods had previously won the FedEx Cup in 2009.

2010: First PGA Tour Win

In 2010, Rory McIlroy achieved his first win on the PGA Tour.

2010: Tied Course Record and Third-Place Finishes

In 2010, Rory McIlroy tied the course record at the Open Championship with a 9-under-par 63 on the opening day and finished third at the PGA Championship.

2010: Ryder Cup Selection

In 2010, Rory McIlroy was selected as an automatic qualifier to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup. He tied his Sunday singles match against Stewart Cink, which contributed to Europe regaining the cup with a score of 14.5–13.5. Following the Ryder Cup, he announced he would return to play full-time on the European Tour.

2011: RTÉ Sports Person of the Year

In 2011, Rory McIlroy was named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for his achievements.

2011: Named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year and BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year

In 2011, Rory McIlroy was recognized for his U.S. Open win by being named the 2011 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year and BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year.

2011: First Major Championship

In 2011, Rory McIlroy won his first major championship at the U.S. Open.

2011: 2011 Masters Tournament

In April 2011, Rory McIlroy led the Masters Tournament after the first round with a bogey-free 65, becoming the youngest player to hold the first-round lead at the Masters at the time. Despite leading by four strokes after 54 holes, he shot an 8-over-par 80 in the final round, finishing in a tie for 15th, 10 strokes behind the winner, Charl Schwartzel.

2011: 2011 Season Performances and Victories

In July 2011, Rory McIlroy struggled at the Open Championship, finishing tied for 25th. He also injured his wrist at the PGA Championship. However, in October 2011, McIlroy won the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters, earning $2 million, and in December, he won the UBS Hong Kong Open.

2011: 2011 U.S. Open Victory

In June 2011, at the U.S. Open held at Congressional Country Club, Rory McIlroy shot a bogey-free 65 to take the first-round lead. He set a record for the lowest 36-hole total in U.S. Open history (131, −11), and he also set the 54-hole scoring record at 199 (−14), building an eight-stroke lead. McIlroy shot a final round of 69 to earn his first major championship title, eight strokes ahead of Jason Day. His 72-hole aggregate score of 268 (−16) was a new U.S. Open record. At age 22, McIlroy became the youngest winner since 1923.

2012: Reaching World Number One

In 2012, Rory McIlroy finished solo-second at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. At the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February, he was runner-up. The following week, McIlroy won the Honda Classic, reaching the number one position in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career at age 22.

2012: Ryder Cup Win

In 2012, Rory McIlroy played for Europe at the Ryder Cup, with Europe winning.

2012: Won PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year awards

In 2012, Rory McIlroy received the PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year awards, along with the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award. He was also voted the European Tour Golfer of the Year and European Tour Players' Player of the Year.

2012: 2012 Ryder Cup and DP World Tour Championship

In 2012, Rory McIlroy topped the qualification standings for the Ryder Cup and picked up three points for the European team, defeating Keegan Bradley in his Sunday singles match to help Europe record a comeback win. He also won the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in November, making birdie on the last five holes.

2012: Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

In 2012, Rory McIlroy was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year Honours for his services to sport.

2012: Won Mark H. McCormack Award

In 2012, Rory McIlroy won the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading the Official World Golf Ranking for the most weeks in a calendar year.

2012: PGA Championship Win

In 2012, Rory McIlroy won the PGA Championship, adding to his major championship wins.

2012: Tiger Woods Reaches $100 Million in PGA Tour Earnings

In 2025, McIlroy became the second golfer to reach $100 million in official PGA Tour earnings after Tiger Woods, who achieved this milestone in 2012.

2012: 2012 Masters and Wells Fargo Championship

In April 2012, Rory McIlroy finished in a tie for 40th at the Masters Tournament after struggling on the weekend. In May 2012, he contended at the Wells Fargo Championship, ultimately losing in a playoff to Rickie Fowler.

2012: First Ryder Cup Away Victory Since 2012

In September 2025, McIlroy participated in the Ryder Cup, where Europe defeated the United States. This was the first away victory in a Ryder Cup since 2012.

2013: Downturn in Form and Australian Open Victory

In 2013, as a result of his downturn in form, Rory McIlroy dropped from first to sixth in the OWGR. He recorded his first win of the year in December, at the Emirates Australian Open, beating Adam Scott by one stroke.

2014: Repeated award sweep and RTÉ Sports Person of the Year

In 2014, Rory McIlroy repeated his 2012 award sweep, and was named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for a second time and BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year for a third time.

2014: RTÉ Sports Person of the Year

In 2014, Rory McIlroy was named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for a second time due to his achievements.

2014: Multiple Major Championship Wins

In 2014, Rory McIlroy won both the PGA Championship and The Open Championship, marking multiple major championship wins in one year.

2014: Won Mark H. McCormack Award for a second time

In 2014, Rory McIlroy won the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading the Official World Golf Ranking for the most weeks in a calendar year for a second time.

2014: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship Victories

In 2014, Rory McIlroy won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and he also won the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, collecting his fourth major championship victory. He joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only three players to win four majors by age 25.

2014: 2014 Open Championship Victory

In July 2014, Rory McIlroy led wire-to-wire at the Open Championship held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club and won by two strokes over Rickie Fowler and Sergio García, claiming the first Open Championship and third major championship of his career.

2014: 2014 Ryder Cup Performance

In September 2014, Rory McIlroy played in all five sessions of the Ryder Cup. He finished with a record of 2–1–2, including a win in his Sunday singles match against Rickie Fowler, as Europe won by a score of 16.5–11.5.

2015: 2015 Season Achievements

In 2015, Rory McIlroy finished in solo-fourth place at the Masters Tournament. In May, he won the WGC-Cadillac Match Play event and the Wells Fargo Championship, shooting a course-record 61 at Quail Hollow Club.

2015: Won Mark H. McCormack Award for a third time

In 2015, Rory McIlroy won the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading the Official World Golf Ranking for the most weeks in a calendar year for a third time.

2015: Returned to World Number One in 2020

In 2020, McIlroy began the year with four consecutive top-5 finishes on the PGA Tour, which brought him back to world number one in the OWGR for the first time since 2015.

2016: 2016 WGC-Cadillac Championship and Masters Tournament

In 2016, Rory McIlroy faltered at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, finishing two shots behind Adam Scott. At the Masters Tournament, he shot a five-over 77 in the third round and ultimately finished tied-10th, citing the pressure of completing the Grand Slam as a factor.

2016: Deutsche Bank Championship, Tour Championship, and Ryder Cup

In 2016, Rory McIlroy won the Deutsche Bank Championship and the Tour Championship, earning his first FedEx Cup title. At the Ryder Cup, he won three points when paired with Thomas Pieters. In the Sunday singles, he lost to Patrick Reed as the United States defeated Europe.

2016: Last Win Before 2018

In March 2018, McIlroy won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, marking his first win since the 2016 Tour Championship.

2016: 2016 Irish Open Victory and Olympics Withdrawal

In May 2016, Rory McIlroy won his home Irish Open and donated the €666,000 winner's cheque to charity. He withdrew from the 2016 Summer Olympics due to the threat of the Zika virus, later admitting he had been wrong to dismiss the event's success. McIlroy then stated he would participate in the 2020 Olympic Games.

2017: Ranked sixth in Forbes' list of world's highest-paid athletes

In 2017, Rory McIlroy ranked sixth in Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes, earning $50 million, with $34 million from endorsements.

March 2018: Won Arnold Palmer Invitational

In March 2018, McIlroy won the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a final-round 64. This victory marked his first win since the 2016 Tour Championship.

September 2018: Competed in the Ryder Cup

In September 2018, McIlroy participated in the Ryder Cup, where he went 2–3–0, including a loss in the Sunday singles to Justin Thomas. Team Europe defeated Team USA 17.5–10.5 to win the Ryder Cup.

2018: Ryder Cup Win

In 2018, Rory McIlroy played for Europe at the Ryder Cup, with Europe winning.

June 2019: Won the RBC Canadian Open and Career Triple Crown

In June 2019, McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open with a final-round 61, becoming the sixth golfer to win the career Triple Crown (the Open Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Canadian Open).

November 2019: Won WGC-HSBC Champions and Declined Saudi International Invitation

In November 2019, McIlroy won the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament in a playoff against Xander Schauffele in Shanghai, China. He later declined an invitation to the European Tour's Saudi International tournament, citing morality and Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

2019: PGA Tour Success and Players Championship Win

In 2019, McIlroy started the PGA Tour strongly with five consecutive top-6 finishes, including a runner-up at the WGC-Mexico Championship in February. He then won the Players Championship in March and joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to win four majors and 15 PGA Tour titles before age 30.

2019: The Players Championship Win

In 2019, Rory McIlroy won The Players Championship, adding another significant title to his career achievements.

2019: Won PGA Tour Player of the Year award and Vardon Trophy

In 2019, Rory McIlroy won the PGA Tour Player of the Year award and the Vardon Trophy for the third time.

May 2021: Won Wells Fargo Championship

In May 2021, McIlroy secured his 19th PGA Tour victory by winning the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club by one stroke. This was his third win at Quail Hollow.

October 2021: Won CJ Cup and Earned Life Membership

In October 2021, McIlroy won the CJ Cup with weekend rounds of 62-66. This victory marked his 20th PGA Tour win, earning him life membership.

2022: RBC Canadian Open Victory and Top-10 Finishes in All Majors

In 2022, McIlroy defended his title at the RBC Canadian Open. Additionally, he finished top-10 in all four majors for the first time in his career, including a third-place finish at the Open Championship.

2022: Three-Time FedEx Cup Winner

In 2022, Rory McIlroy became the first person to win the FedEx Cup three times, surpassing Tiger Woods' two.

2022: Won the Vardon Trophy for a fourth time

In 2022, Rory McIlroy won the Vardon Trophy for a fourth time with a scoring average of 68.67, the lowest since Tiger Woods' in 2009.

2023: Ryder Cup Victory and Fifth Race to Dubai Title

In 2023, McIlroy contributed to the European team's victory at the Ryder Cup. He also won his fifth Race to Dubai title, moving to third for most season-long titles won on the European Tour.

2023: U.S. Open Runner-Up and Genesis Scottish Open Win

In 2023, McIlroy finished solo-second at the U.S. Open and then won the Genesis Scottish Open. He tied for sixth at the Open Championship.

2023: Hero Dubai Desert Classic Win and Masters Missed Cut

In 2023, McIlroy started the year by winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He later missed the cut at the Masters Tournament in April but finished tied-7th at the PGA Championship in May.

2023: Ryder Cup Win

In 2023, Rory McIlroy played for Europe at the Ryder Cup, with Europe winning.

June 2024: Divorce filing withdrawn

By June 11, 2024, Rory McIlroy withdrew the divorce filing, stating that he and Erica Stoll resolved their differences and looked forward to a new beginning.

December 2024: End of year statistics

As of December 31, 2024, money prize figures are rounded up to the nearest Euro.

2024: Zurich Classic and Wells Fargo Championship Wins

In 2024, McIlroy won his first title of the season at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a team event with Shane Lowry. He then won the Wells Fargo Championship for the fourth time.

2024: Won the European Tour Player of the Year award

In 2024, Rory McIlroy won the European Tour Player of the Year award, now renamed the Seve Ballesteros Award, for the fourth time in his career.

2025: Capable of producing over 190 miles per hour ball speed

As of 2025, Rory McIlroy is capable of producing over 190 miles per hour (310 km/h) ball speed.

2025: Second Genesis Scottish Open, Amgen Irish Open win and Ryder Cup performance

In 2025, McIlroy finished runner-up at the Genesis Scottish Open and won the Amgen Irish Open after a playoff. He also played in the Ryder Cup, contributing to Europe's victory.

2025: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Players Championship Wins, Career Earnings Milestone

In 2025, McIlroy won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and his second Players Championship title. His career earnings on the PGA Tour surpassed $100 million, making him the second man to reach this milestone.

2025: Ryder Cup Win

In 2025, Rory McIlroy played for Europe at the Ryder Cup, with Europe winning.

2025: Masters Tournament Win

In 2025, Rory McIlroy won the Masters Tournament to complete the career grand slam after a 10-year drought in the majors.

2025: Won the Masters Tournament and Completed the Career Grand Slam

In April 2025, McIlroy won the Masters Tournament after a playoff, completing the career grand slam. He became the sixth player to win each of the four major championships in the modern era.