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In pictures: The rise and rise of Rory McIlroy, world number one

Here’s how Rory reached his goal of becoming the best golfer in the world.

05/03/12 5,282 Views 6 Comments

In pictures: The rise and rise of Rory McIlroy, world number one
1 / 15

  • Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, 2007

    After an impressive rise through the amateur ranks, McIlroy turned professional in September 2007, aged 17. The following month, he finished third at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to earn his full tour card. (©INPHO/Getty Images/Ross Kinnaird)

  • Open de Madrid Valle Romano, 2007

    The very next week, McIlroy went to the Open de Madrid Valle Romano and finished fourth, guaranteeing his European card for the 2008 season. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

  • UBS Hong Kong Open, 2008

    In November 2008, McIlroy finished second at the UBS Hong Kong Open, two strokes behind winner Lin Wen-tang. With that, he broke into the world's top 50 for the first time and went on to finish the year in 39th. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

  • Dubai Desert Classic, 2009

    McIlroy's first professional win came in February 2009 when he beat Justin Rose by a single stroke at the Dubai Desert Classic. The win moved him up to 16th in the world rankings, three months before his 20th birthday. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

  • The Masters, 2009

    The 2009 Masters was McIlroy's first Major as a professional. He finished in a tie for 20th. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • PGA Championship, 2009

    In August 2009, McIlroy finished in a tie for third at the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. He went on to finish the season as world number nine. (©INPHO/Getty Images)

  • Quail Hollow Championship, 2010

    In late 2009, McIlroy announced his decision to play on the PGA Tour the following season. He shot a 62 on the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship the following May to win his first PGA Tour event. The win, two days before his 21st birthday, made McIlroy the first player since Tiger Woods to win on tour before the age of 21. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

  • Open Championship, 2010

    At the 2010 Open Championship, McIlroy stormed into the lead with a record-breaking opening round of nine-under par. Although the weather disrupted his challenge and forced him to settle for a third-place finish, McIlroy moved up to seventh in the world. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

  • PGA Championship, 2010

    McIlroy came close to a first Major win when he found himself in contention down the final stretch of the 2010 PGA Championship, but a missed birdie putt on the final hole cost him his chance of a play-off and he finished in third. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

  • Shanghai Masters, 2010

    In November, McIlroy beat Anthony Kim to win the Shanghai Masters, a non-sanctioned event. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

  • The Masters, 2011

    McIlroy lead by four shots going into the final round of the 2011 Masters at Augusta, but after a devastating final round implosion, finished 10 shots behind winner Charl Schwartzel in a tie for 15th. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

  • US Open, 2011

    Redemption was just around the corner, however, as McIlroy blitzed the 2011 US Open field to win by eight shots, setting a new 72-hole record for the tournament. The win jumped him from eighth in the world to fourth. (©INPHO/Getty Images)

  • Hong Kong Open, 2011

    McIlroy finished the year with another win, chipping in from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole to win the Hong Kong Open by two shots from Gregory Havret. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

  • Match Play Golf

    McIlroy started 2012 as world number three behind Luke Donald and Lee Westwood. A win at last weekend's World Match Play Championship would've moved him to number one, but he was beaten 2&1 in the final by Hunter Mahan. (AP Photo/Matt York)

  • Honda Classic Golf

    But a week later, the 22-year-old was on top of the world, crowned world number one after a two-shot win at the Honda Classic. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
  • After an impressive rise through the amateur ranks, McIlroy turned professional in September 2007, aged 17. The following month, he finished third at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to earn his full tour card. (©INPHO/Getty Images/Ross Kinnaird)
  • The very next week, McIlroy went to the Open de Madrid Valle Romano and finished fourth, guaranteeing his European card for the 2008 season. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
  • In November 2008, McIlroy finished second at the UBS Hong Kong Open, two strokes behind winner Lin Wen-tang. With that, he broke into the world's top 50 for the first time and went on to finish the year in 39th. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
  • McIlroy's first professional win came in February 2009 when he beat Justin Rose by a single stroke at the Dubai Desert Classic. The win moved him up to 16th in the world rankings, three months before his 20th birthday. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
  • The 2009 Masters was McIlroy's first Major as a professional. He finished in a tie for 20th. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
  • In August 2009, McIlroy finished in a tie for third at the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. He went on to finish the season as world number nine. (©INPHO/Getty Images)
  • In late 2009, McIlroy announced his decision to play on the PGA Tour the following season. He shot a 62 on the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship the following May to win his first PGA Tour event. The win, two days before his 21st birthday, made McIlroy the first player since Tiger Woods to win on tour before the age of 21. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
  • At the 2010 Open Championship, McIlroy stormed into the lead with a record-breaking opening round of nine-under par. Although the weather disrupted his challenge and forced him to settle for a third-place finish, McIlroy moved up to seventh in the world. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
  • McIlroy came close to a first Major win when he found himself in contention down the final stretch of the 2010 PGA Championship, but a missed birdie putt on the final hole cost him his chance of a play-off and he finished in third. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
  • In November, McIlroy beat Anthony Kim to win the Shanghai Masters, a non-sanctioned event. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)
  • McIlroy lead by four shots going into the final round of the 2011 Masters at Augusta, but after a devastating final round implosion, finished 10 shots behind winner Charl Schwartzel in a tie for 15th. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
  • Redemption was just around the corner, however, as McIlroy blitzed the 2011 US Open field to win by eight shots, setting a new 72-hole record for the tournament. The win jumped him from eighth in the world to fourth. (©INPHO/Getty Images)
  • McIlroy finished the year with another win, chipping in from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole to win the Hong Kong Open by two shots from Gregory Havret. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • McIlroy started 2012 as world number three behind Luke Donald and Lee Westwood. A win at last weekend's World Match Play Championship would've moved him to number one, but he was beaten 2&1 in the final by Hunter Mahan. (AP Photo/Matt York)
  • But a week later, the 22-year-old was on top of the world, crowned world number one after a two-shot win at the Honda Classic. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

‘It’s a dream come true’ – Rory McIlroy relishing life at the top

Top of the world, Ma! Rory McIlroy holds off Tiger to go No 1

About the author:

Niall Kelly
@niallkelly
niall@thescore.ie

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