Rory McIlroy’s hometown was feeling the same emotions the rest of the golf world was while watching him win the 2025 Masters — only the Northern Irish folks may have been going even crazier than fans who celebrated from their living room.
In the small coastal town of Holywood, Northern Ireland, where McIlroy grew up and began his golf journey, fans gathered to watch the Masters and support their hometown hero.
Through the unmatched stress of McIlroy’s up-and-down Masters, it all culminated in a wild moment where he finished the job in a playoff against Justin Rose. The Holywood Golf Club went berserk.
Rory McIlroy has won the Masters!!
— Nathan Hanna (@nathan_hanna_) April 13, 2025
Celebrations kick off in his hometown club of Holywood!#Masters #Masters2025 @UTVNews pic.twitter.com/huKAARDb5m
The heartwarming viral video taken of the fans in the clubhouse after McIlroy sunk the winning putt revealed a mountain’s worth of emotions amongst the Northern Irish fans.
The Holywood legend had finally captured his first green jacket to end an 11-year major drought, completing his career Grand Slam.
“It really was a roller-coaster ride,” Holywood Golf Club’s Lady Captain Ruth Watt told BBC Breakfast of McIlroy’s 2025 Masters. “The whole club has been on this journey with Rory, and many of them don’t play golf at all, but Rory is from Holywood and his mom and dad. It’s just overwhelming.”
Further emphasizing just how invested the town is in McIlroy’s career, “Skinners Bakery” in Holywood baked biscuits with McIlroy’s face on them after his victory at Augusta National and were selling out of the treat in no time.
”I’ve had to go home twice to print more,” baker Graham McMarsh said. “The printer is running out of ink!”
Every time Rory wins a major, the bakery in his hometown Holywood bakes for the occasion … ????
— Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) April 14, 2025
The tradition continues. pic.twitter.com/nzCOhQmuww
Selling biscuits with McIlroy’s face on them has been an ongoing tradition in the town for every time the golfer wins a major, a tradition they surely had been itching to continue for the past decade.
Just as Holywood is proud of one of their own, McIlroy can certainly reflect proudly on his time there, too, having finally accomplished what he set out to do nearly 30 years ago.
“[I’d like] to turn pro and win all the majors,” a young McIlroy told BBC Sports Northern Ireland back in 1998.
"I want to win all the majors" – @McIlroyRory
— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) April 14, 2025
Young Rory McIlroy speaking to BBC Sport NI in 1998
???? @BBCArchive #BBCGolf ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/u6Dq044Kyu
Well, the Holywood hero has finally done it.