At Royal Liverpool, a young Northern Irishman realised a burning ambition – to win The Open Championship. Rory McIlroy became only the third player in the history of the game to win his third Major Championship by the age of 25 after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Well on his way to achieving greatness, McIlroy displayed his irresistible best on British shores to become the ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’.