Four major moments never to be forgotten

At Augusta McIlroy, still only 21 at the time, threw down the gauntlet and the golf world was ready to welcome a new superstar into its ranks. But it did not quite work out like that.

The Northern Irish boy wonder, four clear with a round to go, came under attack from a host of players, including Tiger Woods, who thrillingly followed four birdies with an eagle on the eighth gaving himself the chance to end his barren spell and claim his 15th major.

Woods fell back on the back nine - and would not be a factor again all season - but his finish had nothing on that of McIlroy.

Suddenly he looked like a little boy lost when he triple-bogeyed the tenth - had anybody played a shot from inbetween the cabins on the left before? - and then four-putted the short 12th. He eventually signed for an 80, blowing the biggest last-day lead in a major since Jean Van de Velde so famously lost from five ahead at Carnoustie in 1999.

The youngster was cheered off, though, and back in the locker room he reflected: "I don't know if people were just feeling sorry for me or what, but I'm incredibly grateful for it. It was a very tough day. It makes it a lot easier to take."

The winner was stablemate Charl Schwartzel, who chipped in at the first, pitched in on the third and then - unlike any previous Masters champion - birdied the last four holes for a best-of-the-day 66.

Schwartzel's victory meant a moment of history for the European Tour. Following as he did Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer, Tour members held all four major titles for the first time.

Two months later came McIlroy's chance to make amends in the US Open at Congressional. His Masters meltdown given perspective by a trip to earthquake-hit Haiti, he grabbed the headlines again with another opening 65 on a day when nobody else scored lower than 68.

Six clear at halfway, he was eight in front after 54 holes and any thought of an Augusta repeat were banished as he maintained that advantage to the end.

Sixteen under par in a US Open was something nobody expected to see in their lifetime and, at 22, he was the youngest holder of the title since Bobby Jones in 1933 and the youngest European to win a major since Willie Auchterlonie in 1893.

He was also, of course, the second Ulsterman in a row to lift the trophy after McDowell. Yet a month later they would, almost unbelievably, be welcoming another into the major club.

Darren Clarke had been trying to win The Open since 1991 and looked the odd man out when he practised at Sandwich with defending champion Oosthuizen, Masters champion Schwartzel and US Open champion McIlroy.Their success rubbed off, though. Goodness knows how he kept his composure as victory drew close nearly, but the 42-year-old won by three to become the oldest man to lift the Claret Jug since Roberto de Vicenzo in 1967.

And so to the PGA. Somebody had to win and it turned out to be not Dufner, who played the final four holes in three over par, but Keegan Bradley, who played the final three in two under - after triple-bogeying the 15th.

It went to a play-off and Bradley's reply to Dufner hitting his approach to the 16th to five feet is a contender for shot of the year in the majors.

Clarke's win was the most heart-warming given what he had been through in his life and Schwartzel's 66 was probably the round of the majors - better than Steve Stricker's 63 last week because it came when it did.