Rory McIlroy’s win this weekend at the 2014 Open Championship (perhaps better known as the open that is british was huge for the young golfer’s job. It absolutely was their 3rd championship that is major making him only the 3rd player to win three majors by the age of 25, joining a couple of guys it’s likely you have heard of: Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

But the win may even have been bigger for McIlroy’s father and a couple of his friends.

When McIlroy putted away on the 18th green at Hoylake, he fulfilled a bet that had been made by his father Gerry and two friends over about ten years ago. In 2004, Gerry McIlroy placed a bet on their son, then 15 years of age, to win the British Open by the time he was 25 (or put another way, before he turned 26).

Ladbrokes was very happy to take the £200 ($341) bet, and even gave the elder McIlroy 500-1 odds. After all, as talented as young Rory might be, he was a good way of from being capable of winning one of many world’s biggest golf tournaments.

McIlroy Covers Bet on Final Opportunity

But a funny thing happened over the next decade. McIlroy didn’t just turn into a professional golfer, but he became perhaps the best player of his generation. Soon he was a threat that is perennial win the Open, and those 500-1 were looking extremely generous. Still, heading into last week’s tournament, Mc (more…)