A Guinness with Rory McIlroy? The very idea of it sounds out of this world. The same happened with Marco Penge on a night alone in Ireland. What he thought would be a solo dinner in this one Irish restaurant during his Amgen Irish Open stint (T50) ended up with him splitting a G with the man of the town himself.

Speaking on the DP World Tour’s From Rock Bottom to Multiple Tour Winner, Penge recounted the evening when fate (and a restaurant’s seating chart) threw him into a situation he could not have scripted better. As Penge enters the restaurant, looking for a seat, he spots Rory’s father, Gerry, tucked in the corner of the restaurant. Almost as if the universe wanted, the only two single tables left were directly beside him. “I’m like, ‘Oh god, I don’t want to disturb him or feel like he thinks I’m stalking him or anything.’ But I was like, ‘I’ve got no choice but to go and sit there. I was like, ‘Okay, well, let’s just go and do it,'” Penge laughs as he recounts the incident.

So, he took a seat, wishing under his breath to stay out of the way. But of course, that did not happen. Gerry spotted him right away and, in an instant, came over to introduce himself, congratulating Penge on his season.

The icrebreaker, fittingly, was a Guinness. When the pint arrived, McIlroy, as if instinctively, noticed and called across the room, cheering Penge on. “Then we just started having a conversation for about half an hour, which was awesome, and I said to him, ‘Look, I’d love to have a practice round with you at some point and feel like I could learn tons off you,’ and he was so nice about it.” McIlroy’s response to this impromptu request was an instant “100%.”

The fact that Penge made that request said a lot, especially because the same week he admitted to surpassing McIlroy, “I’m just trying to chase Rory down, to be honest,” he had told the DP World Tour.

Moreover, for Penge, the timing of that meeting could not have been any better. Just weeks earlier, he’d picked up his second title of the season at the Danish Golf Championship, following his maiden win at the Hainan Classic in April. These victories pushed him within the Race to Dubai conversation, as he also saw himself rising to 60th in OWGR and within the reach of a Ryder Cup.

All of this marked a massive turnaround for a player who, less than a year before, had narrowly kept his card.

Entering as a number one player from the 2023 Challenge Tour, Penge’s first full season at the DPWT saw him finish 110th in the final Race to Dubai standings. It was the absolute last position to retain full playing privileges. If all this were not enough, he was subsequently slapped with a three-month suspension for betting on golf tournaments.

But Penge had changed his destiny in 2025. He had finished third at the South African Open in March and a T2 at the Genesis Scottish Open in July. Of course, his two wins. And Penge’s story did not end there. After meeting McIlroy, he went ahead and captured his third win of the year at the Open de España, defeating Dan Brown in a playoff.

That victory catapulted him to second in the Race to Dubai standings, just behind the man he was months ago too nervous to sit near. This victory also secured him spots at next year’s Masters and Open Championship.

If the practice round had any impact, it’s clear that meeting Rory McIlroy added a memorable spark to the experience. McIlroy’s presence on and off the course seems to leave a lasting impression on those around him, from fellow pros to young fans and amateurs.

The Rory McIlroy effect

McIlroy’s influence goes well beyond his scores. In 2017, seven-year-old Noah Kent met the Northern Irishman at the US Open at Erin Hills. Awestruck, Kent couldn’t help but ask, “You’re so small, how do you hit it so far?” McIlroy laughed and replied, “Noah, I’m living proof that you can teach yourself to hit the ball. Power comes from your legs.”

What happened next would change Kent’s life. McIlroy went ahead and showed his technique to the young boy. A week later, a parcel was received by him. Inside it was a signed Nike shirt from Rory McIlroy. Fast forward to 2025, Kent earned a spot in the Masters as an amateur and even ended up playing a practice round with McIlroy once again. McIlroy earned his career grand slam that week, and Noah Kent earned a full-circle moment.

Another instance happened just this week when, at the DP World India Championship, Indian golf exec Rishi Narain saw McIlroy offering swing advice to amateur Avani Shah. Shah. The young golfer did not even have to ask for the help, but saw the Ryder Cup hero help her maintain her balance through her finish. Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman of Hero MotoCorp, who was also a part of the group, turned to Narain and said, “Now that is the sign of a really good pro…Not everyone does this.”

From Penge’s encounter to these anecdotes, it’s clear that McIlroy’s influence extends far beyond professional competition. His friendly, down-to-earth demeanor remains evident in every interaction, leaving a positive mark on anyone lucky enough to cross paths with him.