Rory McIlroy has returned to Northern Ireland in triumph after his dream-come-true Masters victory last weekend. He was spotted carrying his daughter, Poppy, down the steps of his private jet before being quickly whisked away on Friday morning.
The 35-year-old experienced a whirlwind of emotions on the final day at Augusta last Sunday as he pursued his first-ever Masters title. He celebrated victory with his daughter Poppy and wife Erica Stoll in an emotional moment, with the latter now eyeing a huge life decision after his win.
Despite missing the opportunity to win on the 18th hole, McIlroy demonstrated remarkable resilience to bounce back and defeat Justin Rose in a play-off, securing the career Grand Slam. And he’s now jetted off back to Northern Ireland to celebrate having got emotional discussing his parents not being at Augusta.
McIlroy’s emotional victory ended an excruciating 11-year wait for a Masters win. In achieving this, he joins an elite group of only six players in history who have won all four modern major golf tournaments, following in the illustrious footsteps of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
He received a warm welcome at Belfast City airport – just a stone’s throw from his hometown of Holywood – on Friday, following his monumental achievement. His wife, Erica Stoll, however, did not seem to be with him as he disembarked his private jet with his daughter.
Earlier this week, McIlroy raised eyebrows when he omitted his wife while listing his ‘close-knit’ support system that helped him finally realise his dream. In a chat with CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis, he mentioned several people, including caddie Harry Diamond, but Erica’s name was conspicuously absent.
He expressed: “I have had an incredible support system the whole way throughout my life as an only child, the support that I had from my parents, they saw some potential in me as a golfer. And they gave me every opportunity to try to fulfill that potential.
(Image: Getty)
“To have Harry on the bag. I have a, as you call it, a village. But it’s a close-knit village and it’s pretty small, but everyone that’s in there means an incredible deal to me. I think as well, to have Poppy there and to see… you know, I want to make her proud, I want her to be able to experience these things.”
Regarding McIlroy’s victory and immense contribution to the sport, First Minister Michelle O’Neill joined the chorus of praise for the golfer after his momentous win, suggesting Northern Ireland gear up for a ‘huge party’ upon his return.
She spoke highly of McIlroy, remarking: “We all were behind him every step of the way. I think his story is one of such a positive journey that, no matter how many setbacks you have in life, if you work hard and are determined, you can get there in the end.”
And she’s already planning the celebrations, stating: “I look forward to welcoming Rory home. I hope that we have the biggest reception possible because we are bursting with pride in terms of what he has achieved over the weekend.”
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
