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. He has 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, and the first European, to complete a modern career Grand Slam. He competes on both the European and PGA Tours, solidifying his position as one of the sport's elite players.

Sections (6)

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

2002: Ulster Boys' U15 Championship Win

In 2002, Rory McIlroy won the Ulster Boys' U15 Championship.

2003: Ulster Boys' U18 Championship Win

In 2003, Rory McIlroy won the Ulster Boys' U18 Championship.

2004: Irish Team Member

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.

2005: Wins West of Ireland and Irish Close Championships

In 2005, Rory McIlroy became the youngest-ever winner of both the West of Ireland Championship and the Irish Close Championship.

2005: Young Player of the Year Award

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

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.

February 2007: First cut in a professional tournament

In February 2007, Rory McIlroy made his first cut in a professional tournament at the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic. He rose to number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking following this performance.

2007: European Amateur Team Championship Win

In 2007, Rory McIlroy competed for Ireland at the European Amateur Team Championship, where Ireland defeated France in the final to claim victory.

January 2008: Entered Top 200 OWGR

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

November 2008: Entered Top 50 OWGR

In November 2008, Rory McIlroy moved into the top 50 of the OWGR after finishing second in the UBS Hong Kong Open.

2008: George Best Breakthrough Prize

In 2008, Rory McIlroy won the George Best Breakthrough Prize.

February 2009: First Professional Win

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

2009: First European Tour Win

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

2009: Belfast Telegraph Sports Star of the Year Award

In 2009, Rory McIlroy won the Belfast Telegraph Sports Star of the Year award.

2009: Tiger Woods' Scoring Average

In 2009, Tiger Woods had a scoring average of 68.05.

2010: Ryder Cup and European Tour Return

In 2010, Rory McIlroy represented Europe at the Ryder Cup, tying his Sunday singles match and helping Europe regain the cup. Following the Ryder Cup, he announced he would return to play full-time on the European Tour.

2010: First PGA Tour win and Course Record

In 2010, Rory McIlroy started the year by finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January. On May 2, McIlroy shot a course-record 62 in the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship to beat Phil Mickelson by four strokes and record his first PGA Tour win.

2011: RTÉ Sports Person of the Year

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

2011: U.S. Open win

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

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

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

2012: Improvement in Putting

After winning the 2012 PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy credited Dave Stockton for improvements in his putting after receiving putting instruction from the former PGA Tour player.

2012: Ryder Cup Win

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

2012: MBE Appointment

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

2012: 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.

2014: Awards Reiteration

In 2014, Rory McIlroy repeated his 2012 award sweep. Also in 2014, he 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 and Ryder Cup Win

In 2014, Rory McIlroy was named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year and played for Europe at the Ryder Cup, with Europe winning.

2014: Open Championship and PGA Championship wins

In 2014, Rory McIlroy won both the Open Championship and the PGA Championship.

2014: Mark H. McCormack Award

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.

2015: Mark H. McCormack Award

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.

2016: Last win at the Tour Championship

In 2016, McIlroy won the Tour Championship, which was his last win until March 2018 when he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

2017: Ranking on Forbes' list

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: Victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational

In March 2018, Rory McIlroy secured a significant win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He shot a final-round 64, marking his first victory since the 2016 Tour Championship.

September 2018: Ryder Cup Competition

In September 2018, Rory McIlroy participated in the 2018 Ryder Cup, where he had a 2–3–0 record. This included a loss in the Sunday singles to Justin Thomas. Ultimately, Team Europe triumphed over Team USA with a score of 17.5–10.5, reclaiming the Ryder Cup.

2018: Ryder Cup Win

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

June 2019: RBC Canadian Open Victory

In June 2019, Rory McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open with a final-round 61, winning the tournament by seven strokes. He became the sixth golfer to win the career Triple Crown (the PGA Tour's three oldest events).

November 2019: WGC-HSBC Champions Victory and Saudi International Rejection

In November 2019, Rory McIlroy won the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions tournament in a playoff against Xander Schauffele. McIlroy also declined an invitation to the European Tour's Saudi International tournament, citing moral concerns regarding Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

2019: PGA Tour Success and Players Championship Win

In 2019, Rory McIlroy achieved five consecutive top-6 finishes on the PGA Tour, including a runner-up finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship in February. McIlroy also secured a victory at the 2019 Players Championship in March. By winning, he joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to win four majors and 15 PGA Tour titles before turning 30.

2019: Won The Players Championship

In 2019, Rory McIlroy won The Players Championship.

2019: PGA Tour Player of the Year 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: Wells Fargo Championship Victory

In May 2021, Rory McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club by one stroke, marking his third win at Quail Hollow and his 19th PGA Tour victory.