THERE was a nice surprise for Tralee Golf Club President Gerard O’Sullivan Tuesday when the worlds number one golfer Rory McIlroy sent him a video message via Facebook.
“It was a lovely gesture,” said Gerard. “I haven’t seen it myself yet, but I’ve been getting loads of text messages, mainly slagging me!” he said.
It was a bit of opportunism from Gerard’s nephew Sean O’Sullivan that made it all happen.
Sean works in New York as a Building Manager in the Bloomberg Tower on Lexington Avenue.
While at work, browsing Twitter, Sean came across a photo tweeted by the newly crowned PGA Champion McIlroy of the trophy and the famous Claret Jug he picked up after winning the British Open earlier this summer ribbing fellow pro-golfer Luke Donald.
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@LukeDonald thanks mate! Got my coffee and those nice shiny things in the background! See you in NJ! pic.twitter.com/9LjXRm93KV
— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) August 11, 2014
Sean spied the room around the two trophies and noticed it was a restaurant not too far from his offices. He promptly left to see if he could catch McIlroy as the County Down native sipped his coffee and he did just that.
All told, Sean spent an hour with the four-time major winner. “If you knew him, that was typical Sean,” said Gerrard.
In the message, McIlroy wishes Gerrard all the best for the year ahead as president of Tralee Golf Club.