Rory McIlroy 2011 US Open Champion

When you think back to his Masters nightmare at Augusta, you would have been forgiven when not mentioning his name in the build up to the second major of the year.

His recent Ryder Cup captain wrote him off in the press suggesting ‘his putting wasn’t up to scratch’.

 In fact it’s safe to say the only person who didn’t rule Rory McIlroy out of winning at Congressional was Rory himself.

The local boy turned legend from Holywood, three miles from Belfast has the belief and maturity still not bestowed on the more experienced of professionals.

Backed by loving parents who gave up a lot to endear their son’s natural talent, so much so they had a putting green installed in their front garden so young Rory could keep is eye in when at home.

Back in 2004, Dad, Gerry and four friends clubbed together and put £400 on young Rory to win an Open title before his 25th birthday. Surely they got excited after his opening 63 at St Andrews last year only to see him swept away in the wind and rain the following day.

That excitement should however be relived again as Rory heads into the next Major in July one of the firm favourites to continue him remarkable rise that started when he first made the cut at the Dubai Desert Classic as a 17-year-old and then going on to win the Silver medal at the Open the very same year as the leading amateur.

After turning pro in the September he would finish third in the Alfred Dunhill links which secured his tour card for the following season making him the youngest to do so on the European Tour.

Back at the tournament where he first made his first cut on tour is where he would collect his first win. The 2009 Dubai Desert Classic was the first of many to come.

At the turn of 2010 his decision to base himself on the PGA Tour was up for debate, but into the world top-ten and a top-three finish at the 09 USPGA Championship, his best major finish until his win, he was still on the up.

His decision proved to be a good one as a final round 62 at the Quail Hollow Championship in May 2010 gave him his first PGA Tour victory and if they hadn’t have known by then, made the world sit up note he was a very special player.

Then that fateful day in April came and went without so much of a slam of a club or a shout of profanity which had endeared him to the US crowds, so much so they think of him as one of their own.

Much has been said of how well McIlroy conducted himself after his final round of 80 saw him drop through the field, but it was what happened on that day which gave him the mental strength to see out the weekend in Washington.

The fact of the matter is, he didn’t just beat his fellow peers, he destroyed them with the grace and dignity he gave them when he was a beaten man.

So hats off to you Rory and your family for being a humble and talented champion and what will almost certainly be one of many more majors and honours you’ll have.