Distraught Rory McIlroy breaks down in tears as he reveals his dad Gerry has been in hospital for two months after undergoing ‘huge operation’
A tearful Rory McIlroy revealed his father underwent a double lung transplant and has been in hospital for two months after equalling Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight Race to Dubai titles on Sunday.
The world No 2 had just secured the DP World Tour’s order of merit crown for a fifth straight year in Dubai when he disclosed in a post-tournament interview that Gerry McIlroy, 67, underwent a ‘huge operation’ in September.
He later clarified the sheer scale of the ongoing trauma by detailing that McIlroy Snr has battled his health issues for 18 months and a transplant was the ‘last resort’. McIlroy added that his father is now ‘recovering well’ in hospital in Cleveland, having visited him before jetting to the Middle East for the end of the DP World Tour season.
McIlroy said: ‘My dad is a massive part of my life, and has been my biggest supporter, is the one that got me into the game and the one that told me to follow my dreams and never give up. It’s obviously been difficult.
‘He’s been living with this for a while, for 18 months, and it got to the point where the last resort was he needed a transplant, so he had a double-lung transplant in September. Thankfully, operation was a success and he’s recovering well.
‘It’s been a stressful time for our family. I’ve been up in Cleveland a lot because that’s where he is. I didn’t know if I was going to go to India (last month) because I spent nine days in the ICU with him while he was recovering.
Rory McIlroy broke down in tears as he revealed his father’s ongoing health issues on Sunday
Gerry McIlroy (left) has been in hospital in Cleveland for two months after a ‘huge operation’
‘If things were not looking as good as they were, I probably wouldn’t have felt comfortable travelling or being too far away. But he’s got an amazing team up there, and the doctors and nurses are absolutely incredible.
‘So I felt comfortable going to India and travelling and knowing that I could obviously get back to him if I needed to, but he was obviously in wonderful hands.
‘He’s been making a really steady recovery. I went up to see him before I left a couple of weeks ago, and he said to me, “Rors, go and win me The Race to Dubai”.
‘That was in my head for the last two weeks, and I really wanted to do it for him and I know he’s in hospital in his hospital bed, and he would have been watching this morning. It was nice to be able to get it done for him.’
McIlroy often speaks about the sacrifices his father made for him to be able to reach the top of the golfing world.
Gerry has been by Rory’s side throughout his life, including when he completed the Grand Slam
Gerry and Rory still maintain a healthy rivalry on the golf course and play together often
Growing up as an only child in Holywood, Northern Ireland, McIlroy’s father worked multiple jobs to finance his career, with his mother Rosie doing the same.
Back in 2024, McIlroy celebrated his father’s 65th birthday by playing the Old Course at St Andrews with him, and the pair still enjoy a healthy rivalry on the golf course.
McIlroy delivered on his father’s wish by finishing second in the DP World Tour Championship behind Tyrrell Hatton, allowing him to pip Eugenio Chacarra on the final day of the season-long points race.
The historical significance should not be understated – matching Montgomerie’s record haul is considerable in its own right, let alone for a player who spends the majority of his season on the PGA Tour.
McIlroy said: ‘Winning eight Order of Merits was never really in my list of goals when I was growing up. I remember Monty being obviously a stalwart of the European Tour, going to watch him at the World Match Play at Wentworth over the years. I remember playing with him for the first time at The London Club at The European Open in 2008.
McIlroy’s parents Gerry and Rosie both worked multiple jobs to be able to fund his golf career
McIlroy hugs dad Gerry and mom Rosie after winning the Masters at Augusta in April 2026
‘So to pull up alongside him and to win eight of these things, yeah, it means the world to me. I’m a very proud European player. I’m proud to be a part of the DP World Tour.’
Hatton’s win on the Earth Course capped a strong season, albeit a turbulent one, with the Englishman having finished third at the Masters before he went on to claim a title on the LIV circuit in June.
The 35-year-old’s rebound from the demise of LIV has been impressive – this was his ninth DP World Tour crown and followed a runner-up spot in Abu Dhabi a week ago.
Hatton, whose 15-under-par total left him five clear of McIlroy, said: ‘This is really special. I was really nervous today. I didn’t say anything to anyone in my team, but I’ve had a bit of heartbreak around here, and I felt like it was going to be a difficult day. I’m just really proud. It feels so good to win here.’
