EXCLUSIVE – BY BERNIE McGUIRE
A handful of hours after being handed the gleaming U.S. Open trophy and Rory McIlroy looked like he’d rather be chilling out with his mates.
As with any sporting success, one needs to recognise the input of sponsors, officials and volunteers.
McIlroy handled those obligations honourably firstly attending a 45-minute post-Championship press conference before heading to the stately clubhouse to mix and mingle with USGA and Congressional officials.
Rory McIlroy alone at the top of the board and also missing his mates. (Pic - www.golffile.ie)
He left the Congressional clubhouse around 11.15pm and after a short drive along the I-495 and onto the I-270 the McIlroy Lexus courtesy car pulled up at his Bethesda hotel some 15 minutes later.
There was a small applause from those in the foyer of the Marriott Suites hotel including Sweden’s Johan Edfors who was relaxing with friends.
On learning McIlroy was returning the hotel, Jumierah executives had began hurriedly arranging for the hotel bar staff to provide drinks and ice despite the staff informing regular patrons of ‘last drinks’ at 11pm.
But then this was a special occasion and besides how many times has the hotel hosted a new U.S. Open champion?
The order was for two cases of Heineken, two cases of Guinness, four bottles of champagne and three bottles of vodka. Someone from the patron’s side of the bar then produced a plastic bag of 10 cans of Red Bull that was added to the drinks on offer.
McIlroy headed for the lift accompanied by his ISM managers, ‘Chubby’ Chandler and Stuart Cage along with his father Gerry, clutching a bottle of bubbly.
The new U.S. Open champion returned just some 20 minutes later showered and changed into a hot-pink T-shirt and blue jeans, and holding the symbol of U.S. Open supremacy.
Those in the reception and bar area rushed to get a snap of Ireland’s newest Major Champion before McIlroy made his way to a corner of the bar area that had been set aside for him and others.
Gerry McIlroy elected not to change and was still wearing the lime green shirt that his son had sought to locate in the crowd before finally spotting his father down the left side of the 18th and just moments before holing out for victory.
More people were approaching McIlroy to have their picture taken,
McIlroy didn’t disappoint and besides it’s never been in his nature.
The U.S. Open trophy was placed on a long oblong table alongside ice buckets full of beer and champers.
It was now after midnight and numbers were swelling.
McIlroy found a stool, grabbed a bottle of Heineken and savoured the refreshing taste of a cold beer.
But it was much closer to 1am when McIlroy finally got to pour some champagne into the trophy.
However as some 60 people help celebrate the victory, the man of the moment seemed as though he’d rather be elsewhere.
The evening was vastly different to the unihibited celebration in a Carmel restaurant exactly a year before when Graeme McDowell won at Pebble Beach.
The room was virtually awash in champers.
McIlroy has no qualms being in corporate company given it’s become an integral component of any pro’s off course committments.
But judging McIlroy’s demeanour it suggested golf’s newest Major Champion would rather be spending the night with his best mates.
McIlroy didn’t remain at the party too long as he was due to board a 6.30am flight to Cape Cod where he was guest at a Audemars Piguet corporate outing.
It meant rubbing shoulders and being polite to more ‘new found friends’.
He’d turned down a Monday night guest appearance on the David Letterman Show but not a visit to the ‘Ant & Dec’ show in Birmingham tomorrow (TUES) morning.
It’s little wonder McIlroy is looking to celebrate properly with those closest to him – his mates.
“I ‘m looking forward to getting home and seeing all my friends and family and having a good time with them for a few days,“ he said.
“You just lose a lot more in golf than you win.
“So when you do win, you have to enjoy it. I’m going to go back home and enjoy it with my friends and enjoy it with my family.
“I love being from Northern Ireland. I tell everyone how great it is. For me, it’s the best place on earth. I’m obviously biased, but I love it back there and I love the people.
“It’s just great that I get so much support from back home.”
