On Sunday, April 13, Rory McIlroy became just the sixth golfer in history to win the career grand slam following a tiebreak victory over Justin Rose on the 19th hole of the Masters.
McIlroy joined the likes of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win all four majors. Following the win, he offered a heartfelt message for his family.
“Last, but certainly not least over to my left. My family…” McIlroy started before being overcome with emotion. After collecting himself, McIlroy added, “They’ve been on this journey with me the whole way through. They know the burden that I’ve carried to be able to come here every year and try and try and try again.”
“The one thing that I would say to my daughter Poppy, who’s sitting over there: never give up on your dreams. Never, ever give up on your dreams. Keep coming back, keep working hard, and if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. I love you,” he added.
Not long after the win, a rumor emerged suggesting he donated his entire $4.2 million check from the win to charity. Mencap, a learning disability charity, announced McIlroy did not, in fact, donate his entire purse from the Masters win.
In response to recent reports that Rory McIlroy donated his latest tournament winnings to Mencap, Grainne Close, Director of Mencap Northern Ireland, shared this statement. pic.twitter.com/oVAp6OlkjM
— Mencap NI (@Mencap_NI) April 16, 2025
“Rory McIlroy has been a tremendous supporter of Mencap, supporing the build of our children’s centre in Belfast a few years ago,” the company stated. “However, we would like to clarify that reports starting he donated winnings from a recent tournament to Mencap are not accurate. We remain deeply grateful for his generosity and commitment to our cause and would like to congratulate him on his recent wins.”
McIlroy has not commented on the report.
