Rory McIlroy Recreates Viral Washing Machine Chipping Contest 25 Years Later

Rory McIlroy is making the media rounds after achieving the career grand slam and winning the Masters last month. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

In 1999, a 10-year-old Rory McIlroy was introduced to the world. The phenom appeared on the Northern Irish talk show “Kelly" and demonstrated to the adoring crowd how he used his mother's washing machine to practice chipping.

In 1999, a young Rory McIlroy chipped into a washing machine on the Northern Irish talk show “Kelly.”

26 years later, he completes the career grand slam. 👏pic.twitter.com/K2rmrJzdnZ

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) April 15, 2025

After winning the Masters last month, McIlroy found himself chipping into a washing machine once again, this time on the "The Tonight Show" alongside the show's host, Jimmy Fallon.

Rory McIlroy is back chipping balls into a washing machine again!

Only now he’s doing it as a Grand Slam champion 😎

pic.twitter.com/RnWROHzpmI

— Today's Golfer (@TheTodaysGolfer) May 2, 2025

To no one's surprise, the five-time major champion was able to defeat Fallon in the chipping contest before reflecting on his monumental achievement.

.@McIlroyRory reflects on his journey to winning @TheMasters. #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/6xSvXSzkXo

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) May 2, 2025

“Everyone comes up to me and they’re like ‘you don’t know what you put us through on that Sunday’… How do you think I was feeling?" McIlroy joked.

The Northern Irishman also shared that he received a five-word text from Tiger Woods after becoming the sixth player to win the career grand slam.

"Welcome to the club, kid", Woods wrote.

McIlroy will tee it up at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in two weeks while looking to add to his major championship tally.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rory McIlroy Recreates Viral Washing Machine Chipping Contest 25 Years Later.