section_path: Professional career/2014: First Open Championship, second PGA Championship title
section_name: 2014: First Open Championship, second PGA Championship title
paragraph_text: 2014: First Open Championship, second PGA Championship title
  
  In January, McIlroy finished runner-up again in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He was assessed a two-shot penalty for taking an improper drop from a spectator pathway in the third round and ultimately finished one stroke behind the winner Pablo Larrazábal. He said afterwards: "There are many stupid rules in golf and this is one of them."
  
  In March, McIlroy lost in a playoff at the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour. He held a two-shot lead entering the final round, but shot 74 (+4) and lost on the first extra hole, when Russell Henley made birdie. In May, McIlroy shot a final-round 66 to overcome a seven-shot deficit and win the 2014 BMW PGA Championship by one stroke over Thomas Bjørn. The win was McIlroy's first on either of the two major tours in 18 months.
  
  At the 2014 Open Championship held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July, McIlroy led wire-to-wire and won by two strokes over Rickie Fowler and Sergio García to claim the first Open Championship and third major championship of his career. The victory put McIlroy alongside Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win both the Silver Medal and the Claret Jug at the Open Championship.
  
  In his next start, McIlroy won the 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, shooting a final-round 66 to beat Sergio García by two strokes. The following week, McIlroy edged out runner-up Phil Mickelson by one shot to collect his fourth major championship victory with a win at the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. In doing so, he joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only three players to win four majors by age 25. After the victory, 18-time major champion Nicklaus said: "Rory is an unbelievable talent. I think Rory has an opportunity to win 15 or 20 majors or whatever he wants to do if he wants to keep playing. I love his swing."
  
  At the 2014 Ryder Cup in September, McIlroy played in all five sessions. He finished with a record of 2–1–2, including a win in his Sunday singles match against Rickie Fowler, as Europe won by a score of 16.5–11.5.
  
  In January, McIlroy finished runner-up again in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He was assessed a two-shot penalty for taking an improper drop from a spectator pathway in the third round and ultimately finished one stroke behind the winner Pablo Larrazábal. He said afterwards: "There are many stupid rules in golf and this is one of them."
  
  In March, McIlroy lost in a playoff at the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour. He held a two-shot lead entering the final round, but shot 74 (+4) and lost on the first extra hole, when Russell Henley made birdie. In May, McIlroy shot a final-round 66 to overcome a seven-shot deficit and win the 2014 BMW PGA Championship by one stroke over Thomas Bjørn. The win was McIlroy's first on either of the two major tours in 18 months.
  
  At the 2014 Open Championship held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July, McIlroy led wire-to-wire and won by two strokes over Rickie Fowler and Sergio García to claim the first Open Championship and third major championship of his career. The victory put McIlroy alongside Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win both the Silver Medal and the Claret Jug at the Open Championship.
  
  In his next start, McIlroy won the 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, shooting a final-round 66 to beat Sergio García by two strokes. The following week, McIlroy edged out runner-up Phil Mickelson by one shot to collect his fourth major championship victory with a win at the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. In doing so, he joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only three players to win four majors by age 25. After the victory, 18-time major champion Nicklaus said: "Rory is an unbelievable talent. I think Rory has an opportunity to win 15 or 20 majors or whatever he wants to do if he wants to keep playing. I love his swing."
  
  At the 2014 Ryder Cup in September, McIlroy played in all five sessions. He finished with a record of 2–1–2, including a win in his Sunday singles match against Rickie Fowler, as Europe won by a score of 16.5–11.5.