What happened when Rory McIlroy played in the Irish Open as a 16-year-old amateur golfer back in 2005

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Rory McIlroy’s success has not been a surprise to anyone who followed European golf in the late 2000s

McIlroy was destined for greatness from an early age and climbed to the top of the World Amateur Golf Ranking in 2007.

The Northern Irishman even drew comparisons to Tiger Woods at the beginning of his career because his talent was almost unparalleled.

Now, after McIlroy’s victory at the 2025 Irish Open, we look back at his debut at the tournament 20 years ago.

• READ MORE: Why Rory McIlroy’s Irish Open win could be really bad news for golf traditionalists

How Rory McIlroy performed at the 2005 Irish Open

McIlroy had already made a name for himself before the 2005 Irish Open by winning the West of Ireland Championship earlier that year.

While Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, and Angel Cabrera were some of the high-profile names at the event, many golf fans were looking forward to watching McIlroy.

And the now-Grand Slam champion delivered in his first round at the Irish Open by shooting a one-under-par 71 to keep him within three shots of the lead and in contention.

Unfortunately, McIlroy could not maintain his solid performance in the second round at Carton House Golf Club.

The 16-year-old handed in a nine-over-par 81 to bring his overall score up to eight over, missing the cut by several strokes.

However, the youngster could take pride in his first-round performance, as he proved that he could keep up with the world’s best players on his day.

Rory McIlroy already enjoyed ‘the spotlight’ at 16 years old

Before the 2005 Irish Open, broadcaster RTE Sport produced a short feature on Rory McIlroy’s exciting future in the sport.

They asked the 16-year-old for his thoughts on being compared to Tiger Woods, who was by far the best player in the world at the time.

McIlroy responded with confidence: “It’s a great honor to be compared to someone like that. I love it!

“I like the spotlight on me at the minute. I’ve enjoyed the past couple of months, winning the West of Ireland [Championship]. I like it.”

With that enthusiasm, it’s no surprise that McIlroy has gone on to achieve so many incredible victories, including at the 2025 Irish Open.