'Mum and Dad, I owe everything to you' said Augusta Masters winner Rory McIlroy praising his Lurgan mum and Holywood dad
“Mum and Dad, I owe everything to you,” said back-to-back Masters winner Rory McIlory, paying tribute to his Lurgan born mum Rosie and Holywood dad Gerry.
In Augusta, Georgia where Rory won his Green Jacket last year, the Co Down man repeated the win – this time with his parents present.
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Last year Rosie, who hails from the Taghnevan area of Lurgan, and Gerry were absent from the tournament despite devoting their lives to helping their son achieve his dreams.
And there was a hint from Rory after that superb win on Sunday that perhaps his parents – to use a very Co Armagh term – were afraid of ‘putting the scud on’ Rory and that’s why they stayed away last year. ‘Putting the scud on’ tends to mean bring bad luck.
However it was hard work, perseverance and incredible support from his parents that resulted in his major success.
'My mum and dad - they weren't here last year to celebrate with us and surprisingly I had to convince them to come this year because they thought the reason I won was because they weren't here. I'm glad we proved that wrong, so they can keep coming as long as they want,” said Rory (36).
“Mum and Dad, I owe everything to you,” he told his parents while wiping tears from his eyes.
'I'm so glad that they got to experience this today. We're all going to have a great time tonight. I was a little kid with a dream, and the support that I have from my family, my friends, everyone back home.
'Some people probably thought it was outlandish to dream the things that I wanted to do. but I had amazing support from back home, and can't thank them all enough for that continued support.”
Then laughing he described it turning out to be his daughter Poppy’s favourite week of the year. “I don’t know if its the par 3 tournament or the ‘all you can eat ice cream’ in the player services building.”
Speaking to BBC Sport he said the event was ‘tinged with irony’. “Having waited so long to get my hands on one of these things (his green jacket) and all of a sudden it happens two years in a row.
"It was absolutely incredible. Great to do it again and have my Mum and Dad here. It was just the perfect week,” he said.
"I really let myself soak in that moment on the 18th green,” he said adding he looked at his wife Erica, his daughter Poppy and his mum and dad who were all there as he won the Masters again.
Lurgan girl Rosie met Gerry at a pub in Belfast where she worked as a waitress and Gerry was manager. It was 1988 when they married and Rory was born the following year.
During a recent documentary ‘Rory McIlroy: The Masters Wait’ which is on Prime Video, his mum Rosie said: “I always knew my son was very, very special.” She never doubted he would become top of his game and Rory certainly has aced it.
Meanwhile North Down MLA Stephen Dunne congratulated Rory McIlroy. "Credit must go to his parents, Gerry and Rosie, his wider family, and his caddie Harry Diamond, whose unwavering support has been central.”