Rory’s Last Shot: 2013 Open Championship McIlroy’s Last Chance to Cash Father’s Wager

Rory’s Last Shot: 2013 Open Championship McIlroy’s Last Chance to Cash Father’s Wager
Gerry McIlroy Placed a Bet 10 Years Ago that His Son Would Win an Open. Muirfield is His Last Chance

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Chris Chaney July 16, 2013 8:55 PM

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The big bet on Rory expires this year at the Open Championship




COMMENTARY | Rory McIlroy has been billed as a golfing prodigy since he was in diapers.

Not unlike his childhood hero, McIlroy peddled his wares at a young age in front of a national television audience, hitting golf balls into a washing machine on "Kelly," a talk and variety show broadcast in his native Northern Ireland.

Just five years later, an astute gambler placed a bet after playing a round of golf against the young McIlroy, getting 500-1 odds on a £50 bet that McIlroy would win a major championship before the age of 25.

In 2011, that £50 turned into £25,000 as McIlroy waxed the field at Congressional Country Club, winning the US Open by eight shots. Odds against McIlroy winning another major following his US Open triumph have rarely soared to double-digits-to-one and with good reason. McIlroy is only one of two players in the last five years to win multiple major championships.

Gerry McIlroy and three other friends, keen on Rory's talents from an early age, also levied a wager on the then-15-year-old's behalf before his star shone too brightly. Already gaining status as one of Europe's finest junior players, a bookie was still willing to take 500-1 odds at £100 a piece that McIlroy wouldn't win an Open Championship before his 25th birthday.

"That was all the bookies would let us put on, £100 apiece," Gerry said following his son's breakthrough at Congressional. "But that bet is looking better and better."

Now, at the age of 24 and ranked by Forbes as the 21st highest-paid athlete, reportedly bringing in just shy of $30 million a year in on-course earnings and endorsements, the £50,000 Gerry McIlroy stands to win is not quite the chunk of change it once was when he and his wife were working multiple jobs to support their burgeoning son's ambition.

However, the show-of-good-faith bet made by Gerry and his three friends would be a welcomed payout perhaps in terms of Rory's confidence more so than the fattening of the quartet's wallets.

A disappointing 2013 season to this point by his astronomical standards, McIlroy has yet to raise a trophy on either side of the pond and has been dogged by armchair psychiatrists as to possible reasons for his less-than stellar performance.


The most common prognostication is the equipment switch McIlroy made to start the season, trading in his Titleist sticks for the newest Nike had to offer.

According to many, including three-time Champion Golfer of the Year and two-time Muirfield victor Nick Faldo, the switch was a "dangerous" move.

McIlroy has downplayed any equipment shortcomings that may have affected his sluggish start and feels coming into the Open this week that he has gotten all the pieces figured out.

Most notably, McIlroy said he has sorted out his driver problems following a missed cut at the Irish Open. "I went over to London after the Irish Open, tried a few drivers with different settings and as soon I hit it I said, 'This is the one.' It feels great," McIlroy told the Irish Golf Desk.

The next question that arises will be if he even needs to use his new "it" club this week at firm and fast Muirfield. Described by most accounts as a 7,192-yard layout that rarely, if ever requires the big stick, McIlroy, a longer hitter already, will be forced to dial back his power off the tee in order to position himself more favorably coming into the greens.

At 20-1 odds to win this week at most books, McIlroy will have to put together his best week of 2013 to cash his father's 500-1, 10-year-old bet.

And while the £50,000 pay day would be icing on the cake for Gerry McIlroy should his boy be holding the Claret Jug come Sunday night, an even safer bet would be that most of the rumblings about a poor equipment decision would be quelled.

Chris Chaney is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based sportswriter. He has written for multiple outlets including WrongFairway.com, Hoopville.com, The Cincinnati (OH) Enquirer and The Clermont (OH) Sun.

Follow him on Twitter @Wrong_Fairway.