Golf-World number one Rory McIlroy

LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Factbox on world number one Rory McIlroy who enjoyed a stellar year in 2014, winning two major championships. EARLY LIFE Born: May 4, 1989 in Hollywood, County Down, Northern Ireland Strikes a 40-yard drive at the age of two and becomes youngest member of Hollywood golf club aged seven. TEENAGER 2004 - Member of Europe's Junior Ryder Cup-winning team 2005 - Becomes youngest winner of West of Ireland Championship, shooting record score of 61 around Royal Portrush Golf Club. First European Tour appearance at British Masters. 2007 - Makes first cut on European Tour at Dubai Desert Classic. Awarded silver medal as leading amateur in British Open at Carnoustie. Turns professional. 2009 - Wins first professional tournament at Dubai Desert Classic. - Plays first major championship at U.S. Masters, finishing 20th on two under par. - Ties for 10th at U.S. Open - Ties for third at U.S. PGA Championship. 2010 - Wins first U.S. PGA Tour event after shooting 62 in the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship. - Shoots 63 in first round of British Open at St Andrews, Scotland before finishing tied third to climb to seventh in the world rankings. - Finishes tied third in U.S. PGA Championship. - Makes Ryder Cup debut and wins half point in singles match against Stewart Cink to help Europe regain the trophy. 2011 - Shoots 65 in first round of U.S. Masters but closing 80 leaves him in tie for 15th place. - Wins U.S. Open at Congressional, Bethsheba, Maryland by eight shots with record score of 16 under par, becoming the youngest winner of the tournament since Bobby Jones in 1923. 2012 - Wins U.S. PGA Championship by a record eight strokes after a final-round 66. - Wins U.S. Tour's FedEx Cup - Helps Europe complete astonishing last-day comeback to win Ryder Cup in "The Miracle at Medinah" - Tops the European tour order of merit. 2013 - Switches to Nike clubs and struggles all year before winning the Australian Open. 2014 - Splits with his fiancee, tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, after a three-year relationship. - Wins BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the European Tour's flagship event. - Wins British Open at Royal Liverpool by two shots, leading throughout the tournament to claim third career major title. - Joins Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only three players since 1934 to win three majors by the age of 25. - Wins first World Golf Championship event at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and returns to world number one. - Wins U.S. PGA Championship at Valhalla, his fourth career major. - Helps Europe retain the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland. (Compiled by Ed Osmond; Editing by Ken Ferris)