27 years. 12 European Tour wins. Four Majors. One incredible journey.
To celebrate Rory McIlroy's 27th birthday, we picked 27 photos that document the Northern Irishman's career to this point - from amateur days to Ryder Cups - with some interesting hair styles and fashion choices along the way. Enjoy!
27. Young McIlroy
Before taking the professional game by storm, Rory McIlroy enjoyed an impressive amateur career in Northern Ireland. Pictured here at the age of 15 during the 2004 Boys Home Internationals, McIlroy went on to become the Number One ranked amateur in the world three years later.
26. Meeting Nick Faldo
Four years before he would play his first Ryder Cup at the same venue, McIlroy won the under-17 division of the Faldo Junior Series at Celtic Manor in Wales. The 30-time European Tour winner was on hand to present a smartly-dressed Rory with the trophy.
25. Mixing with legends
Pictured here alongside Ernie Els and Michael Schumacher, McIlroy poses with the low amateur medal at the 2007 Dubai Desert Classic. Two years later he would move one seat over as he picked up his first professional victory at the same event.
24. The kid
The eyes of an 18 year old about to play in his first Major championship. McIlroy made his Major debut at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie. At one of the toughest venues in golf, Rory was the only amateur, out of six, to make the cut.
23. Low Amateur
Here is McIlroy at the end of his first Major appearance, on the 18th green at Carnousie, set to pick up the Silver Medal for low amateur. He was stood next to Sergio Garcia, who missed out on the Claret Jug that year in a play-off with Padraig Harrington.
22. Walker Cup
Later in 2007, McIlroy represented Great Britain and Ireland at the Walker Cup in his hometown at Royal County Down. This image was captured shortly after McIlroy beat Billy Horschel in the Sunday singles by a score of 4&2. However, it was the US side who would take home the trophy that week, winning by a single point 12.5 to 11.5.
21. Rookie
Shortly after the Walker Cup, McIlroy turned professional on September 18, 2007 and made the cut in his first professional European Tour start at the British Masters. Consecutive finishes of third and fourth at the Dunhill Links Championship and Open de Madrid (pictured here) meant he became the youngest Affiliate Member in the history of The European Tour to earn a Tour card.
20. The hair
As McIlroy's game began to grow, so did his hair. This wild look became synonymous with McIlroy and fans all across the world began wearing afro wigs to support McIlroy's rise in the professional game.
19. The first win
It wasn't long before McIlroy became a European Tour winner. In his second full season on Tour, McIlroy won the Dubai Desert Classic in his 38th European Tour start as a pro. After getting up and down from a bunker on the 72nd hole to secure a one shot victory, his Mum and Dad were on hand to celebrate the first of many European Tour victories.
18. Rory and Gmac
By September 2009 McIlroy had already notched 11 top 15 finishes in the season and earned a place in the Great Britain and Ireland team at The Seve Trophy in France. He went on to win three of his four matches alongside Graeme McDowell in the team format and his singles match against Henrik Stenson. However, those glasses....?
17. Roars
One year later and he partnered Graeme McDowell again, this time in his Ryder Cup debut. McIlroy lost just one his four matches that week at Celtic Manor in a 14.5 to 13.5 win for Team Europe.
16. Rory the Chef
Building on his success at the Ryder Cup, McIlroy would close out the 2010 season in Dubai (pictured here). He would end the season ranked inside the top ten in world, with nine top ten finishes in 16 starts on The European Tour.
15. That week in Augusta
McIlroy entered the 2011 season with a Major title top of his to-do list. Having taken a four-shot lead into the final round of the Masters, Rory would see his lead slip on the back nine with a triple bogey here on the tenth hole. However, two months later...
14. First Major
Bouncing back after the disappointment of Augusta, McIlroy would go on to win the US Open at Congressional by eight shots. This was the moment the 22 year old put the finishing touches to one of the finest Major performances in recent history.
13. Hong Kong
Winning quickly became the norm for McIlroy and his third European Tour victory came later in 2011 at the Hong Kong Open. Pictured here on the famous third hole at Hong Kong Golf Club, McIlroy would hole out from the bunker on the final hole to beat Gregory Havret by two shots.
12. Dubai
Rory McIlroy has always had a special connection with Dubai. Four his 11 European Tour wins have been in the City of Gold and he has a lot of good memories in the United Arab Emirates. No doubt this shot, ahead of the 2011 DP World Tour Championship, is the highest he's hit in Dubai. McIlroy hit a bunker shot on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab hotel, 1,000 feet above the beach below.
11. Home crowd
Anytime Rory McIlroy makes an appearances in Ireland, flocks of fans come out to cheer him on. Never was this more evident than the 2012 Irish Open at Royal Portrush. This was the view down the opening hole as McIlroy teed off during his opening round. He would go on to finish in the top ten.
10. Kiawow
Having finished in the top three at the US PGA Championship in 2009 and 2010, McIlroy finally lifted the Wanamaker Trophy in 2012 at Kiawah Island and in emphatic style. This celebration greeted a birdie on the 72nd hole, giving the 23 year old an eight shot win and moving him back to World Number One.
9. Right on time
Entering the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, McIlroy was the World Number One and had won four times already that year. Trailing the US by four points going into Sunday's singles, Europe put together one of the great Ryder Cup performances to win 14.5 to 13.5. However, it could have been so different for Rory McIlroy, who arrived just 11 minutes before his match with Keegan Bradley having misread his tee time. He would go on to win his match 2&1 and was later presented with this clock as a joke by team captain José María Olazábal for the post-round party.
8. Winning at Wentworth
One of McIlroy's most impressive European Tour victories came at Wentworth in 2014. Starting the final round seven shots behind the leader Thomas Bjørn, the 25 year old fired a five under par back nine to win by one shot over his friend Shane Lowry. No wonder he looked happy celebrating on the players bridge after the round!
7. Eyeing the Claret Jug
By 2014 McIlroy had cemented himself as the best player in the world and added to his résumé by becoming just the sixth player to win the Open Championship in wire-to-wire fashion. The win made McIlroy the first European to win three different Major championships.
6. Back-to-back
As the sun went down on Sunday at the US PGA Championship at Vahalla, McIlroy had just enough time to par the 72nd hole from close to the water hazard and win back-to-back Major Championships. He was the first player to do so since Padraig Harrington in 2008.
5. Gleneagles
Leading by four points heading into the final day of the 2014 Ryder Cup, McIlroy was paired against Rickie Fowler at Gleneagles. This opening hole birdie got the World Number One off to the perfect start and he never looked back. Five birdies in the first six holes gave McIlroy and insurmountable lead and he would beat Fowler 5&4 en route to his third straight success at the Ryder Cup.
4. Another win in Dubai
Starting the 2015 season in the Middle East, McIlroy finished runner-up in Abu Dhabi before picking up his tenth European Tour win at the Dubai Desert Classic two weeks later. This was the view that greeted many a birdie putt that week.
3. Rory and Niall
Among several celebrities that Rory can call friends is One Direction star Niall Horan. The pair met in Australia in 2014 and McIlroy asked Horan if he would be interested in caddying for the him at the Par Three Contest at the Masters. Shortly thereafter Horan was dressed in his white jumpsuit, carrying McIlroy's clubs on the Wednesday at Augusta.
2. McIlroy Selfie
Later in 2015 Rory McIlroy took on a new role, hosting the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down. Among his duties, he took this selfie with the cast of Riverdance, who were performing at the gala dinner the night before the tournament.
1. Still Number One
Rory McIlroy finished 2015 on a high, despite suffering an ankle injury playing football which meant he couldn't defend his Claret Jug in St Andrews. After holing this shot on the 18th hole during the first day of the DP World Tour Championship, McIlroy went on to hold his nerve for a one shot victory over Andy Sullivan. He became just the seventh player to be crowned European Number One in back-to-back years and the fifth to do so three or more times.
