In 2010, a soon-to-be 21-year-old Rory McIlroy entered the Quail Hollow Championship with back pain, wavering confidence and all of Europe waiting at home for their golden child’s moment to come.
A 36-year-old McIlroy returns this week, at the PGA Championship, on top of the world. McIlroy, now a Masters winner and career Grand Slam champion, showed up and said he’s accomplished everything he wanted in this game.
The journey started at Quail Hollow, where he can still recall the exact clubs and yardages that helped him win his first PGA Tour event 15 years ago. Since then, McIlroy has 44 professional wins, four of them at this course.
A look back at who McIlroy was then — what kind of player he was with decades of potential in front of him — tells us a lot about the kind of golfer McIlroy could be at Quail Hollow this week.
“Part of the reason that I’ve played so well here since is I had that positive momentum, those positive memories, and every time I come here, those good feelings get rekindled,” McIlroy said. “It’s been a good place for me.”
GO FURTHER
Rory McIlroy and the Quail Hollow win that started his legendary PGA Tour career