Tom Brady shows his class with Rory McIlroy comments after getting his 'butt kicked'

Tom Brady has lauded following his career Grand Slam. Appearing on Patrick Kielty's in Ireland this week, heaped praise on McIlroy for his triumph at last month's .

The legend demonstrated his respect for fellow high achievers like himself and the joy he feels for his pal's success, saying: "It was incredible to watch. I have been at that course (Augusta National) with Rory playing. Shane [Lowry] and his dad, Rory and his dad, me and my dad. One of the great highlights of my life is being on a golf course with them. Rory kicks my butt every time we play, obviously.

"Seeing him achieve that after all he's gone through in golf and overcoming them struggles... I'm sure he appreciated that win more than any other win in his life because of how hard it was, not because of how easy it was.

"He could have won it 14 years ago and it would have been great then, but I think you cherish it more now because you have that perspective of what it's like when you don't win or when you come close and that get it.

"For all of us, the worst things that happen in life end up being the best things if you take the right attitude. I've had a lot of failures in my life, and when you overcome them, you look back and say, 'I'm so happy I went through that because without failing, I wouldn't appreciate the winning as much.'"

McIlroy ended an 11-year wait for another major title as he triumphed at Augusta last month, edging out Justin Rose in a thrilling playoff to claim his first green jacket. His latest success not only brought delight, but also placed him in the pantheon of golf greats.

He joined the legendary Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and in completing the career Grand Slam. The congratulations poured in from far and wide, including sports and entertainment figures.

Talking to Jimmy Fallon, McIlroy shared his amazement at the diverse array of people who reached out. He said: "I was sort of overwhelmed with the people who reached out from all different walks of life, you know, culture and entertainment.

"But, the one that got me was Sir . That was like incredible. So, I actually haven't been able to contact him so his assistant left me a voicemail and said, 'Sir Elton would love to congratulate you in person. The only problem is he doesn't have a cell phone, so you might get a phone call from a number in Windsor, England from a landline.'

"I'm like 'Sure!', but we haven't been able to connect so I'd love to reach out. I didn't even know if Elton John knew what golf was." In the realm of their respective sports, both Brady and McIlroy are legends, with the former boasting seven victories with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Their friendship dates back years, as evidenced by a photo of them preparing for a friendly round at Augusta National Golf Club 10 years ago. Alongside them were Masters marker Jeff Knox and McIlroy's father, Gerry, and McIlroy took to Facebook to share his excitement about the game, posting: "Great to meet Tom Brady last night. Looking forward to our game at Augusta. #4SuperBowls #4Majors."