World number one Rory McIlroy
LONDON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Factbox on world number one Rory McIlroy who enjoyed a stellar year in 2014, winning two major championships.
EARLY LIFE
Born: May 4, 1989 in Hollywood, County Down, Northern Ireland
Strikes a 40-yard drive at the age of two and becomes youngest member of Hollywood golf club aged seven.
TEENAGER
2004 - Member of Europe's Junior Ryder Cup-winning team
2005 - Becomes youngest winner of West of Ireland Championship, shooting record score of 61 around Royal Portrush Golf Club. First European Tour appearance at British Masters.
2007 - Makes first cut on European Tour at Dubai Desert Classic. Awarded silver medal as leading amateur in British Open at Carnoustie. Turns professional.
2009
- Wins first professional tournament at Dubai Desert Classic.
- Plays first major championship at U.S. Masters, finishing 20th on two under par.
Ties for 10th at U.S. Open Ties for third at U.S. PGA Championship.
2010
- Wins first U.S. PGA Tour event after shooting 62 in the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship.
- Shoots 63 in first round of British Open at St Andrews, Scotland before finishing tied third to climb to seventh in the world rankings.
Finishes tied third in U.S. PGA Championship. Makes Ryder Cup debut and wins half point in singles match against Stewart Cink to help Europe regain the trophy. 2011
- Shoots 65 in first round of U.S. Masters but closing 80 leaves him in tie for 15th place.
- Wins U.S. Open at Congressional, Bethsheba, Maryland by eight shots with record score of 16 under par, becoming the youngest winner of the tournament since Bobby Jones in 1923.
2012
- Wins U.S. PGA Championship by a record eight strokes after a final-round 66.
- Wins U.S. Tour's FedEx Cup
- Helps Europe complete astonishing last-day comeback to win Ryder Cup in "The Miracle at Medinah"
- Tops the European tour order of merit.
2013
- Switches to Nike clubs and struggles all year before winning the Australian Open.
2014
- Splits with his fiancee, tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, after a three-year relationship.
- Wins BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the European Tour's flagship event.
Wins British Open at Royal Liverpool by two shots, leading throughout the tournament to claim third career major title. Joins Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only three players since 1934 to win three majors by the age of 25.
Wins first World Golf Championship event at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and returns to world number one. Wins U.S. PGA Championship at Valhalla, his fourth career major. Helps Europe retain the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland. (Compiled by Ed Osmond; Editing by Ken Ferris)
