Emotional Rory McIlroy donating his €666,000 Irish Open winnings to children’s charities
Rory McIlroy seldom does emotion, but for a moment on the 18th green at the K Club he felt overwhelmed. And it wasn’t just at winning his first Irish Open. Donating his €666,000 winner’s prize made it even more special. “It all just sort of hit me. I had a little bit of time on the green when my playing partners were finishing out, and I was trying to hold back the tears then.”
The moment @McIlroyRory won the #DDFIrishOpen 🇮🇪🏆 https://t.co/IGAZidRqnc
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 22, 2016
The four-time major winner’s Rory Foundation was the tournament host at the K Club, allowing McIlroy to donate his entire winnings to be divided among local children’s charities, Barretstown, the Jack and Jill Foundation, and the LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.
“All these things, I’m not turning up for myself. I’m here for other people and I’m here for other causes, and that gives me more fulfillment than hitting those golf shots on 16 and 18.
Rory McIlroy will donate his €666,660 winning cheque to the @RoryFoundation. pic.twitter.com/1Lqptiy0JJ
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 22, 2016
“They are great, and in golfing terms, it’s fantastic and whatever, but I’m almost prouder of what we’ve achieved this week off the golf course than on it.
“I don’t usually get emotional about golf or about wins, but this one, it means just a little bit more, because it’s not just for myself. It’s for a lot of other people. It’s a day I’ll not forget for a while. [This Irish Open] ranks up there. When all is said and done, majors, WGCs, I’d rank this up here for me personally like a WGC, just below the majors. It’s one of the things that I wanted to tick off on my CV and thankfully I’ve been able to do it.”
