50 free Rory McIlroy trivia questions with answers — sports quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
Rory McIlroy hit 40-yard drives at three, chipped balls into his mother's washing machine, and told the BBC at nine that he wanted all four majors. His father worked 100-hour weeks to pay for it. By 25 he had four majors, including a record-shattering U.S. Open at Congressional and an eight-shot PGA at Kiawah; eleven years later he finally won the Masters in a playoff to become the first European to complete the career grand slam, then defended it. This quiz covers the whole story: Holywood Golf Club, Michael Bannon, the Carnoustie silver medal, the Dubai win at 19, Quail Hollow at 20, the 2011 Augusta 80, the Medinah police escort, the Nike and TaylorMade deals, Harry Diamond, the FedEx Cups, the Players titles, the football ankle, the Olympics, the LIV battles, Bethpage, the 2024 U.S. Open putts, Justin Rose in 2025 and the six-shot lead in 2026. Fifty questions with four options each and a short explanation after every answer. Play on your phone or print it for the 19th hole.
30 of 50 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01In which County Down town was Rory McIlroy born and raised?
Holywood
He became the local golf club's youngest-ever member at seven and was hitting 40-yard drives there at three.
Q 02Into which household appliance did the young McIlroy practise chipping golf balls?
The washing machine
He demonstrated the trick on the TV show Kelly after winning a world under-10 title in Miami at nine.
Q 03Roughly how many hours a week did McIlroy's father Gerry work to fund his son's golf?
100
He cleaned toilets and showers, tended bar at the golf club and worked nights; Rosie packed tape at a 3M factory.
Q 04Which coach has worked with McIlroy since his boyhood at his home club?
Michael Bannon
Bannon and physiologist Stephen McGregor rebuilt McIlroy's swing from 2010 to protect his back.
Q 05Which Northern Irish major winner mentored McIlroy from around age 12?
Darren Clarke
McIlroy reached a scratch handicap at 12 and left school in 2005 to focus on golf.
Q 06McIlroy signed a letter of intent with which US college before deciding to stay in Europe?
East Tennessee State
After becoming the youngest winner of the West of Ireland and Irish Close in 2005 he stayed in Europe instead.
Q 07At which links did the 16-year-old McIlroy shoot a course-record 61 in 2005?
Royal Portrush
It came in stroke-play qualifying for the North of Ireland Amateur Open on the Dunluce Links.
Q 08McIlroy won the silver medal as low amateur at which 2007 Open Championship venue?
Carnoustie
He opened with a bogey-free 68; only he and Tiger Woods have won both the silver medal and the Claret Jug.
Q 09McIlroy's first professional win, at 19 in February 2009, came at which event?
Dubai Desert Classic
It lifted him to 16th in the world; a year earlier he had lost a playoff in Switzerland after leading by four.
Q 10McIlroy's first PGA Tour win came with a course-record 62 at which course in May 2010?
Quail Hollow
He beat Phil Mickelson by four two days before his 21st birthday; he has since won there four times.
Q 11What did McIlroy shoot in the final round of the 2011 Masters after leading by four?
80
A triple bogey at the 10th and a double at the 12th dropped him to a tie for 15th behind Charl Schwartzel.
Q 12McIlroy won his first major, the 2011 U.S. Open, at which course?
Congressional
He led wire-to-wire and won by eight over Jason Day, just two months after the Augusta collapse.
Q 13What record 72-hole total did McIlroy post to win the 2011 U.S. Open?
268
The 16-under score beat a mark of 272 shared by Nicklaus, Janzen, Woods and Furyk.
Q 14Who finished runner-up, eight shots back, at McIlroy's 2011 U.S. Open?
Q 21What caused McIlroy to miss the 2015 Open as defending champion?
An ankle injury from football
He ruptured a ligament kicking a ball with friends and vowed not to do 'silly things' mid-season again.
Q 22Why did McIlroy withdraw from the 2016 Rio Olympics?
The Zika virus
He had declared for Ireland in 2014; he later admitted he had been wrong to dismiss the event and played in Tokyo.
Q 23McIlroy donated the €666,000 cheque from which 2016 win to charity?
Irish Open
His own Rory Foundation hosted the event; the foundation closed in 2018 in favour of private giving.
Jason Day
At 22 McIlroy was the youngest U.S. Open champion since Bobby Jones in 1923.
Q 15Winning which event in March 2012 took McIlroy to world number one for the first time?
Honda Classic
At 22 he was the second-youngest man to reach the top after Tiger Woods, who got there at 21.
Q 16By how many shots did McIlroy win the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, a tournament record?
Eight
It beat Jack Nicklaus's seven-shot margin from 1980 and made him the youngest double major winner since Seve Ballesteros.
Q 17How did McIlroy get to the course in time for his Sunday singles at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah?
A police escort
A tee-time mix-up left him arriving 12 minutes before his match; he beat Keegan Bradley 2 and 1 in the 'Miracle at Medinah'.
Q 18McIlroy's 2013 slump followed a lucrative equipment deal with which company?
Nike
The 10-year deal was reported to be worth up to $250 million; Nike later quit golf equipment and he moved to TaylorMade clubs.
Q 19At which course did McIlroy win the 2014 Open Championship wire-to-wire?
Royal Liverpool
He then drew pantomime boos in his speech by mentioning his Manchester United allegiance on Merseyside.
Q 20Which course hosted McIlroy's fourth major, the 2014 PGA Championship?
Valhalla
He edged Phil Mickelson by one in Louisville to join Nicklaus and Woods with four majors by 25.
Q 24Whom did McIlroy hire as caddie in 2017 after parting with JP Fitzgerald?
Harry Diamond
Diamond is a childhood friend and former Irish amateur international; Mackay and Williams had both offered.
Q 25McIlroy's 2017 TaylorMade equipment deal was reported to be worth how much?
$100 million
Nike kept him on a separate 10-year, $200 million apparel-only contract.
Q 26McIlroy's 61 to win the 2019 RBC Canadian Open completed which career 'Triple Crown'?
The PGA Tour's three oldest events
They are the PGA Tour's three oldest events; he was the sixth golfer to win all three.
Q 27What was the bonus for McIlroy's second FedEx Cup win in 2019, then the largest payout in golf?
$15 million
His third FedEx Cup in 2022, worth $18 million, made him the first three-time winner.
Q 28How many FedEx Cup titles had McIlroy won by the end of 2025, a record?
Three
He won in 2016, 2019 and 2022, surpassing Tiger Woods's two.
Q 29At the Tokyo Olympics McIlroy lost a playoff for bronze involving how many players?
Seven
He represented Ireland, having said in 2013 he might not play at all rather than upset anyone.
Q 30Which LIV golfer served McIlroy with a subpoena on Christmas Eve 2022?
Patrick Reed
McIlroy refused to talk to him on the Dubai range a month later; he has called himself a 'sacrificial lamb' in the PGA Tour–LIV fight.