The roar from the packed grandstands around Royal Portrush's 12th green was deafening. Rory McIlroy had just rolled in a long eagle putt, and 30,000 Northern Irish faithful erupted as one. It was, McIlroy would later say,

The child stood transfixed, overwhelmed by the moment, until reality crashed back when McIlroy had already moved 50 yards past. Panic flashed across the boy's face—had he missed his chance? He found his voice.