Rory McIlroy won the Masters on Sunday to complete the career grand slam, and rumours have been rife that he donated his entire prize fund to charity
A charity based in Northern Ireland has praised Rory McIlroy for his ongoing backing amid reports suggesting the golfer gave his full Masters winnings to their organization.
On Sunday, McIlroy achieved a career milestone by securing the grand slam after a nail-biting playoff victory over Justin Rose at Augusta National. The triumph earned the 35-year-old the iconic Green Jacket for the first time.
The win also came with a substantial financial reward of £3.1million ($4.2m). Recent reports have claimed that McIlroy chose to gift the entire sum to Mencap, a charity that empowers people with learning disabilities to live independently and with dignity.
Similar speculation surfaced after he won £3.4m ($4.5m) win at the Players’ Championship last month. But on Wednesday, Mencap NI issued a statement addressing the rumours, saying the claims were “not accurate”.
“Rory McIlroy has been a tremendous supporter of Mencap, supporting the build of our children’s centre in Belfast a few years ago, Jackie O’Sullivan, executive strategy director at Mencap, said in a statement on Wednesday. “However, we would like to clarify that reports stating 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 maintained a longstanding connection with Mencap, having previously contributed £500,000 through the Rory Foundation toward the creation of the Mencap Centre in Belfast in 2016. The purpose-built facility officially opened in March 2016 and was partially supported by the Big Step Forward Appeal – Mencap NI’s largest ever fundraising initiative.
During a return visit to Northern Ireland, McIlroy toured the centre. At the time, Mencap Northern Ireland director Margaret Kelly said: “It was so exciting to show Rory around the Mencap Centre today and I know all of the children and families in attendance loved meeting him.
“The £500,000 donation from the Rory Foundation was a huge part of our success with the Big Step Forward Appeal and was vital in reaching our goal of £1.7m.
“Now that the Mencap Centre is up and running, it is already changing the lives of the children with a learning disability who attend our nursery and it also serves as a resource and a gathering place for young people and adults with a learning disability and their families.
“The Rory Foundation had a big hand in making this important centre a reality and we can’t thank Rory and his team enough for their generosity.”