Rory McIlroy’s former headmaster has opened up on the golfer’s schooling days and how he was convinced that the sporting prodigy’s intense schedule was of his own desire
Rory McIlroy’s former headmaster has revealed that he believed the golfer’s rigorous sporting schedule during his school years was self-driven – a belief cemented by a pivotal meeting with his father. At just 14 years old, the now Masters champion began to make waves in the golfing world, which inevitably led to him missing significant chunks of school due to tournament commitments.
McIlroy attended Sullivan Upper School in his home country of Northern Ireland, an institution known for its emphasis on academic achievement. His frequent absences understandably raised eyebrows, particularly from his then-principal John Stevenson.
In a piece penned for the Belfast Telegraph, the ex-principal confessed his concerns that McIlroy’s unwavering dedication to golf could potentially leave him academically disadvantaged.
“It makes good educational sense to keep as many doors open as possible, and I was concerned that Rory’s single-minded pursuit of his golfing goals was firmly closing all the other doors,” he expressed, reports Belfast Live.
As McIlroy’s golfing commitments intensified, his father Gerry arranged a meeting with Stevenson to seek special permission for his son to be absent from school for extended periods. “Gerry McIlroy came to my office at Sullivan Upper School to talk about future arrangements for his son, Rory, who was about 14 at the time,” he recalled.
“Rory had been doing rather well at ‘the golf’ up to then but further opportunities beckoned that meant, going forward, he was likely to be away from school for considerable periods of time.”
Stevenson recounted how the request posed a “dilemma” yet McIlroy – who was employed at the local Holywood Golf Club – managed to sway his opinion after revealing what truly ignited his son’s passion for golf.
“It would be unusual, to say the least, to allow a pupil significant absences from school, especially over these two important years. Gerry understood this but then said something important that made me sit up and take notice. He said he knew what I was thinking.
“He said I probably thought he and his wife, Rosie, were pushy parents. Maybe he was right, and I thought that might be the case. Then he went on to convince me that I was mistaken. ‘It’s all him,’ he said. ‘It’s all driven by him’.”
McIlroy’s intense dedication has clearly borne fruit, with the golfer now celebrated as one of the sport’s all-time greats, boasting five major titles and an additional 24 PGA Tour tournament wins.
