PMs Cameron, Kenny hail McIlroy
British and Irish Prime Ministers David Cameron and Enda Kenny on Monday joined the tributes to Northern Ireland golfer Rory McIlroy, who won the US Open in sensational fashion at the weekend.
McIlroy fired a record 16-under-par 268 over 72 holes at Congressional Country Club to win his first major title by eight strokes, thereby becoming the youngest US Open champion in 88 years.
"Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on a tremendous win at the US Open and his first major title," said Cameron.
"At just 22, the youngest US Open Champion for 88 years, he has already shown himself to be at the top of his sport.
"He's an incredible talent and clearly has a very exciting career ahead of him."
Irish counterpart Kenny also extended his congratulations to McIlroy.
"Rory McIlroy's victory in the US Open was both emphatic and inspiring," he said. "Rory led from the front and his record-breaking victory stands as one of the great achievements in any sport.
"I'm sure this will be the first of many major golfing achievements Rory will attain in what I'm sure will be a long and stellar career."
McIlroy became the youngest champion since 1923 and gave Northern Ireland back-to-back victories following last year's success of Graeme McDowell.
His uncle, Colin McIlroy, reflected on an "exciting and emotional" night after watching his nephew claim his first major title on TV along with hundreds of supporters who packed Holywood Golf Club near Belfast.
"It was incredible. Tears of disappointment from the Masters were replaced with tears of joy," he said of McIlroy, who crumbled on the last day of the US Masters earlier this year when he was close to victory.
"He was completely focused and he learnt so quickly from his mistakes at the Masters. His preparation was better, he has so much self-belief, he just went out and played all the right shots.
"The field he was playing in, they were just spectators at the end of the day."
McIlroy's former headmaster at Sullivan Upper School also applauded his ex-student's ability to learn from his experiences.
John Stevenson said: "I think the talent is a given with Rory. The question mark has been about his attitude and maybe his character, but he has two tremendous attributes.
"This boy really learns, this is what the golfing fraternity had not fully understood about him, every experience he has he builds into that golf computer in his brain and he learnt from the Masters.
"On top of that he has got steely determination. He is a young guy, he looks good and he is friendly but don't underestimate the attitude he brings to his game. He showed it in spades at the US Open."
Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness were among the first to recognise his achievement and plaudits have poured in from the world of sport.