Rory McIlroy Makes Kid's Wish Come True With Surprise Meeting At Irish Open
Before teeing it up in the first round of this week's Irish Open, Rory McIlroy was given the very simple yet incredibly important mission of meeting a seven-year-old named Michael Horgan. Not only did the four-time major winner get to meet his young fan, he got to play a hole with him by his side.
Horgan is from Dublin, Ireland, and bravely lives with a brain tumor. He and his family were invited to attend the Irish Open through Make-A-Wish Ireland, and before arriving, Horgan explained that his wish was to receive a personalized message from his favorite golfer.
McIlroy and the Make-A-Wish team had a bigger surprise in mind, and before Horgan knew it, he was sitting in a golf cart with one of his heroes during the practice round of a DP World Tour event.
The excitement in Horgan's voice when he says "Hi Rory" followed by a big grin pulls at the heartstrings. If you don't start tearing up about 20 seconds into the video, you most definitely will when McIlroy brings out a smaller version of his own putter as he lets Horgan hit a putt of his own.
"Taking him out on the course with Rory was inspiring and added so much to the occasion, not just meeting him but being able to play with him is a thrill he'll never forget," Horgan's dad, Conor, said.
McIlroy is a father himself and undoubtedly understands how a small gesture like playing a hole with a young kid can end up being a ginormous moment in their life.
Rory has taken quite a bit of criticism over the last couple of years or so with certain comments and stances he's taken amid the ever-changing world of professional golf. This should serve as a reminder that he's just a human, and a pretty damn good one at that.
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