For a man, there is nothing like the love and support of a father, but sometimes fathers can be so supportive that it leads them to do questionably and sometimes funny things. Golf pro Rory McIlroy could probably put his dad in this category for a bet that McIlroy’s dad made 10 years ago. Always believing in his son’s ability on the golf course, Gerry McIlroy made a bet with his friends that Rory would win the British Open before he hit age 26.
So just to confirm – 10 yrs ago Gerry McIlroy & three friends put £400 at 500-1 on 15 year-old Rory to win The Open before he turned 26.
— Andrew Cotter (@MrAndrewCotter) July 19, 2014
So just to confirm – 10 yrs ago Gerry McIlroy & three friends put £400 at 500-1 on 15 year-old Rory to win The Open before he turned 26.
— Andrew Cotter (@MrAndrewCotter) July 19, 2014
The 2004 bet comes to $683, which could total $342,000 if McIlroy is able to come through with a victory on Sunday, according to Kyle Porter of CBS Sports. At 25 years old, this would be his last chance to make good on the bet.
After three rounds, Rory McIlroy now stands at -16 under par and leads second place Rickie Fowler by a monstrous 6 strokes. The British Open is always played at one of the toughest courses on the PGA tour and this year was definitely no exception. However, losing a 6 stroke lead at a major championship isn’t impossible. It has been done before in 1996 by Greg Norman at the Masters.
None of the possibilities or probabilities matter, since Gerry McIlroy made the bet when Rory was only 15. His faith in his son is the poignant part of the story, and that’s what would make Rory being able to hoist the trophy even better.
[h/t Bleacher Report]