RORY MCILROY finally got the Hollywood ending that the boy from Holywood deserved as he ended his 11-year wait for a career Grand Slam on Sunday.

On his 17th attempt at winning The Masters, McIlroy etched his name into golfing folklore with a rollercoaster final round that saw him pip Justin Rose in a playoff to slip into the famous Green Jacket for the first time.

McIlroy has long been one of golf‘s greatest ever talents, but until he earned himself a spot in the Augusta champion’s dressing room there was always going to be doubt about whether he truly fulfilled his potential.

Now, aged 35, he can look back at the nine-year-old kid that was chipping golf balls into his washing machine and know that he’s become one of just six players in the history of the sport to notch all four majors.

He joins Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen on that list of golfing immortals.

But even though it all came down to just one 5ft putt for birdie, the journey started over 25 years ago and has been one hell of a ride for the Northern Irishman.

CHILD SUPERSTAR

Everyone in Holywood, County Down knew that Rory McIlroy was a name to remember way before he was making headlines across the world.

A young kid that was juggling schoolwork with non-stop practice, McIlroy was never far away from the fairways growing up.

A video of him at just three-years-old shows a near-perfect golf swing in the living room of his family home.

And before he was even old enough to go to secondary school, McIlroy was on prime-time TV in Ireland showing off his skills.

Appearing on UTV’s Kelly Show in 1999, McIlroy chipped balls into a washing machine for an awestruck audience after being asked on the show following success at he World Junior Tournament under-10 division in Florida.

For McIlroy it was always going to be golf, and thanks to the unwavering support of parents Gerry and Rosie, who both worked second jobs to help him, he was able to earn his stripes as an Amateur.

At just 15-years-old he won the Irish Amateur Close Championship, by 17 he was European amateur champion and a matter of months after his 18th birthday he was leading amateur at the 2007 Open.

PROFESSIONAL BREAKTHROUGH

McIlroy’s global arrival happened in the years that followed as he earned his first professional win in 2009 – the Dubai Desert Classic aged 19.

It was that same year that he made his debut at golf’s most prestigious tournament, The Masters.

Little did he know what kind of a chokehold that tournament was going to have on him for the next 16 years.

McIlroy finished T20 that year, an impressive feat for such a young player with so little relative experience.

McIlroy returned to Europe after his first taste of Augusta, coming home to impress even more.

The rising star finished fifth at the BMW PGA Championship and 12th at the European Open in May.

He then played in his second major as a pro at the 2009 US Open, where he shot a final-round 68 to finish in a tie for 10th.

The signs were there that golf had found a new star, but nobody knew quite what was around the corner.

2011 MASTERS MELTDOWN

After earning his stripes and becoming one of the best young players on tour, McIlroy returned to Augusta for his third tournament in 2011.

Aged just 21, McIlroy shot a bogey-free opening day 65 to become the youngest ever first-day leader at The Masters.

There was no stopping him there either, as he followed that up with a Friday 69 and a Saturday 70 to head into the final day with a FOUR SHOT lead.

McIlroy was on the cusp of joining Tiger Woods as only the second 21-year-old to win The Masters and earning himself a prestigious Green Jacket and a career-first major.

But disaster struck on Sunday at Augusta when the pressure appeared to get to the youngster and a horrifying eight-over round of 80 saw him plummet from solo leader to a T15 finish.

To this day it’s considered by many as one of the biggest collapses in the history of The Masters.

Rors cried in an emotional interview that day, saying: “I’m very disappointed at the minute and I’m sure I will be for the next few days, but I’ll get over it.

“I have to take the positives and the positives are I led this golf tournament for 63 holes”.

BOUNCING BACK

When you’re 21-years-old and you’ve just crumbled in front of the entire golfing world, it’s fair to think you could shy away and step out of the spotlight.

But for McIlroy it was the opposite.

Instead of letting the Masters meltdown hinder him, he used it as fuel.

Less than two months later McIlroy found the best remedy for failure – success.

The Holywood hero put together a record-breaking eight-shot victory at the US Open to win his first ever major and prove the doubters wrong.

McIlroy led from day one and embraced his dad on the 18th green in a touching moment with the final day of the tournament played on Father’s Day.