Rory McIlroy has said winning The Open in 2014 at the same course fellow countryman Fred Daly triumphed in 1947 is the highlight of his career so far.
The Holywood golfer reflects on one of his four Major victories in BBC Sport NI’s latest Re-run edition, which will be on BBC2 NI at 20:15 BST on Sunday.
McIlroy lifted the Claret Jug at Hoylake, where Daly became the first Irishman to do so 67 years earlier.
“Growing up, The Open was the biggest tournament in the world,” he said.
“To be able to win it and win it with my parents and friends there is the one that jumps out at me as my biggest achievement to date. It was very special.
“I was very proud to put my name alongside Fred and alongside so many others who have won that trophy.”
The current world number one revealed his mother played a leading role in the celebrations when he first handed her the trophy.
“I probably regretted it because the first thing she did was fill it up with Jägermeister, which was not a good move,” he joked.
Two years after that victory near Liverpool, McIlroy secured his first Irish Open success when he won at the K Club in an event that was hosted by the Rory Foundation.
The 31-year-old, who returned to competitive action on Thursday at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas, donated £515,000 Irish Open first prize to charity.
“The Irish Open meant a great deal to me. I had pledged to give all my prize money to charity, which I was very proud of,” he continued.
“It is great to win your national open and it is great to achieve these things, but what it meant to other people and the fact that the win helped so many people is what I was most proud of.”
It was a dramatic finale at the Kildare venue that led to McIlroy securing what was his first victory of the season.
Trailing Scotland’s Russell Knox by one shot with three holes to play, he delivered outstanding second shots at the 16th and 18th to help him to a birdie and eagle which saw him win by three.
“The one on the 16th was definitely the one that won me the tournament. They are two of the best fairway wood shots I have ever hit,” he reflected.
“But the one on the 16th was one that I really needed to pull off. It was a wet, cold day and to hit the green in two helped me get a two-shot swing. It was nice.”
Sunday’s Sport Re-Run programme will be available on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website from Monday.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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