RORY MCILROY may not head home for an emotional return to Holywood Golf Club after his Masters success amid fears a celebration would cause too much ‘fanfare’.
North Downs and Ards Council are preparing for a possible homecoming celebration for McIlroy after he ended his 11-year wait for a career Grand Slam at Augusta National on Sunday.
GettyRory McIlroy could miss out on a hometown celebration at Holywood Golf Club[/caption]
McIlroy finally ended his 11-year wait for a career Grand Slam when he won The Masters on SundaySportsfile
PacemakerMcIlroy joined Holywood Golf Club when he was just seven[/caption]
A spokesperson for the local council told The Irish News that plans are “already underway” and that they will “be offering assistance” to Holywood Golf Club to support the celebration.
However, McIlroy may not be part of the celebrations at the club, after the general manager Tom Widley said that the PGA superstar could want to keep things low-key.
He told The Irish News: “I’m sure we will do something as a club to celebrate the win, we will definitely have some sort of party. But whether we will have a homecoming will depend on Rory.
“Certainly earlier in his career we would’ve, but now that he is based in the US, we will have to wait and see if he is available when he contacts us.
“I don’t know if Rory would want any fanfare. When he comes here he very much just acts like any ordinary member of the club.”
McIlroy became Holywood Golf Club’s youngest ever member when he signed up as a seven-year-old and had a similar celebration when he won his first major – the US Open – in 2011.
However, the 35-year-old now lives in Florida with wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy.
The County Down town of Holywood held their breath on mass as they watched McIlroy sink his knee-wobbling 5ft birdie putt to beat Justin Rose in an intense playoff on Sunday.
PAMembers at Holywood Golf Club watched McIlroy’s intense final round[/caption]
PAThere was huge celebrations when he finally ended his wait for The Masters[/caption]
PAMembers will be hoping there is a chance to celebrate with McIlroy himself in the near future[/caption]
AFPMcIlroy brought the US Open trophy back to his hometown club in 2011[/caption]
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Members at Holywood Golf Club gathered to watch the final round together with pictures from the clubhouse showing just how much the win – and McIlroy – mean to the Northern Irish town.
But it’s not just the local community that are keen for McIlroy to come celebrate, but Northern Ireland as a whole.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill has called for a “huge party” to celebrate the 29-time PGA Tour event winner’s Grand Slam success.
“I think we have to have the biggest party possible,” she said.
“I think we are so proud of what he has achieved, he speaks so loudly to all young people out there that if you have a dream that you can achieve it.
“If you look at Rory’s journey over many, many years, all the setbacks and he kept going back at it and back at it.
“So, yes, we should have a huge party. I certainly will raise that with the sports minister [Gordon Lyons].
“But I want to welcome him home in the best possible style we can to show him we are proud of what he has achieved.”
McIlroy earned a seat at golf’s most exclusive table with his Masters win, becoming only the sixth player in the history of the sport to win a career Grand Slam.
PANorthern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said she is hoping for a ‘huge party’[/caption]
McIlroy is now just one of six players to win a career Grand Slam in golf historySportsfile
GettyThe star wanted to celebrate with parents Rosie and Gerry more than anything[/caption]
He joins Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen on that list.
For McIlroy, the first people he wanted to celebrate with were his parents Rosie and Gerry, who both worked two jobs in his youth to help support his dream of making it big.
Speaking with tears in his eyes after slipping into the Green Jacket for the first time, McIlroy said: “There was a lot of pent-up emotion that came out on that 18th green.
“But a moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.
“I want to say hello to my mum and dad, they’re back home in Northern Ireland.
“They did [make a lot of sacrifices]. I can’t wait to see them next week. Just can’t wait to celebrate this with them.”
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