Rory Proves (Again) That Sport Belongs to All Of Us

Golf can be a rich man’s game. The courses, the clubs, the travel — it adds up fast, and for most families it stays out of reach.

But every now and then, who carries a whole community quietly. Who never forgets the modest club on the hill, his oul da behind the bar, and the town that believed in him first.

Northern Ireland has often struggled to celebrate its own. A divided society, split along lines of religion and allegiance, keeps asking the wrong question — not what have you achieved, but which side are you on.

Rory spent his entire career manfully navigating the mess left him and his generation by those who came before him. Which flag? Which anthem?

Questions that players from almost anywhere else never had to answer. From a young age, he took it all on. And here he is. Again. The best in the world.

Talent doesn’t negotiate with division. It just keeps showing up.

Back in Holywood (or Tenerife) , whoever we are we all cheer the same man. In Northern Ireland, that’s not a small thing. It’s more than a start. It’s another beginning. So once more, thank you Rory (Gerry, Rosie, and grandad Jimmy)!

Note: AI was used to put this post together.

Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty