After Father's Day bonus, Gerry eyes Open windfall

Rory and Gerry McIlroy on the 18th green at Congressional. Credit: golffile.ieRory McIlroy’s dad stands to win his share of a whopping €221,000 if he claims the Open before he’s 25.

Gerry McIlroy and three pals got odds of 500-1 against Rory winning the Claret Jug by 2013 and slapped £400 (€442) on him with a local bookie when the Holywood star was just 15.

Gerry said: “We put the bet on him winning the Open before he was 25 when he was 15. But they would only let us lay £400 - £100 each.

“Even then the bookies were cottoning on to Rory.”

Bookies were forced to make massive payouts following McIlroy’s US Open win with William Hill admitting they lost “a monster six figure sum.”

McIlroy is now the 9/2 favourite to win The Open next month, the only player in Championship history other than Tiger Woods to attract a quote of less than 6/1.

William Hill have made him 25/1 to win both the remaining majors in 2011, 5/2 to win five or more major championships by the end of 2020 and 16/1 to beat Jack Nicklaus record of 18 major wins.