AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy has finally ended his long quest for a career Grand Slam with a Masters victory.
His most significant career accomplishment unfolded with immense drama, mirroring the tension of his previous near misses.
The 35-year-old golfer from Northern Ireland navigated a challenging start and an even more precarious finish in the final round of the 89th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday. He triumphed over Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff, claiming the coveted green jacket and becoming only the sixth golfer in history to achieve a career Grand Slam.
McIlroy joins an elite group of golfers who have won all four major championships in the Masters era: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
`After 17 attempts, I began to wonder if my time would ever come,` McIlroy admitted. `For the past decade, the Grand Slam pressure has weighed on me every time I came to Augusta. I`m curious what the storyline will be next year.`
In the playoff on the 18th hole, a par-4, both McIlroy and Rose hit fairways off the tee. Rose`s approach shot from 187 yards nearly went in, landing just 15 feet past the hole. McIlroy`s second shot was even closer, landing on the slope above the hole and rolling back to within 4 feet as the crowd cheered his name.
After carefully assessing the line, Rose`s birdie attempt missed to the right. McIlroy, given a second chance after missing a short par putt on the 72nd hole, seized the opportunity and sank his putt for the win.
McIlroy celebrated by throwing his putter in the air and burying his face in his hands, overcome with emotion. He fell to his knees and wept before embracing his caddie, Harry Diamond. He then found his wife, Erica, and daughter, Poppy, still in tears as he walked from the 18th green towards the clubhouse to the cheers of thousands of spectators.
Later, on the practice green for the trophy presentation, McIlroy hugged his putting coach, Brad Faxon, remarking, `What a roller coaster.`
`This victory is 14 years in the making, thinking back to 2011 when I had a four-shot lead and felt I could have won,` McIlroy reflected. `The emotion on the 18th green was a release of years of pent-up feelings. Moments like these make all the years of hard work and close calls worthwhile.`
McIlroy thanked his family and team while accepting the trophy before donning the green jacket.
`They have been with me throughout this entire journey,` McIlroy said. `They understand the pressure I`ve carried, returning here each year, trying and trying again.`
Tiger Woods acknowledged the pressure and congratulated McIlroy on social media.
`Welcome to the club @McIlroyRory,` Woods posted on X. `Completing the Grand Slam at Augusta is truly special. Your resilience throughout this round and your entire journey has been evident. You`ve made history, and I`m proud of you!`
McIlroy`s final round of 1-over 73 was just enough to join this exclusive club, finishing at 11 under. Rose, also at 11 under, pushed him to a playoff with a final round of 6-under 66, including a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, marking the first Masters playoff since 2017.
Rose was also involved in that 2017 playoff, losing to Sergio Garcia.
On Sunday, Rose trailed McIlroy by six strokes after the 10th hole but rallied with six birdies and two bogeys in the final eight holes, including the crucial putt on No. 18 to force a playoff.
`That kind of putt is what you dream about as a kid, and to make it was an amazing feeling,` Rose said of the putt that forced the playoff. `Playoffs, however, are abrupt. It`s sudden death, and if you don`t execute the perfect shot or putt, it`s over quickly. I don’t think I could have done much more today.`
McIlroy had a chance to win the green jacket outright on the 72nd hole. His tee shot landed safely in the fairway, but his approach shot went right into a greenside bunker. He chipped out to within 5 feet but missed the par putt, leading to the playoff against Rose.
Patrick Reed, from LIV Golf and the 2018 Masters champion, finished third at 9 under with a final round 69. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, aiming for his third green jacket in four years, finished fourth at 8 under after a 69. Bryson DeChambeau (75) and Sungjae Im (69) tied for fifth at 7 under.
This was McIlroy`s 11th attempt at completing the career Grand Slam, the most among those who have achieved it. For a time on Sunday, it seemed he might have to wait another year after losing a four-stroke lead on the back nine.
Facing another potential Masters disappointment, McIlroy executed a remarkable shot on the par-4 17th. With Rose already in the clubhouse at 11 under, McIlroy needed a birdie on one of the last two holes to avoid a playoff.
After a 248-yard drive down the right fairway, McIlroy hit an iron shot, urging it to `go, go, go!` as he walked up the fairway. His ball landed on the green and rolled to within 2 feet of the hole. He made the birdie to reach 12 under, one ahead of Rose.
It appeared to be enough—until McIlroy missed the short par putt on the 18th.
This marks McIlroy`s fifth major championship and his first in over a decade. His previous major wins include the 2011 U.S. Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championship, and the 2014 Open Championship.
McIlroy made the turn at 1-under 35 and was the first to reach 13 under. He birdied the par-4 10th to extend his lead to four strokes.
However, his lead began to slip at Amen Corner. On the par-4 11th, McIlroy`s approach almost went into the water. His ball stopped on the bank, and he chipped to 10 feet but missed the par putt, dropping to 13 under.
After a par on the 12th, disaster struck on the par-5 13th. Following a 300-yard drive, McIlroy played conservatively, laying up his approach to 86 yards. But he then hit a poor wedge shot that landed short and rolled into Rae’s Creek.
`I felt for him,` said DeChambeau, who played with McIlroy. `As a professional, you aim for the middle of the green. I was surprised he went for it or mis-hit it. But everyone hits bad shots. In a major, especially at Augusta on Sunday, you have to execute. He had moments of control and moments where things seemed to unravel.`
After taking a penalty stroke, McIlroy chipped to 11 feet and missed the bogey putt, carding a double-bogey 7. His lead over Rose narrowed to one.
On the par-4 14th, McIlroy`s tee shot went into the trees on the right, and his approach was short. He chipped to 10 feet and narrowly missed the par putt, dropping to 10 under and tied with Rose and Ludvig Åberg.
McIlroy had started the final round with a two-stroke lead over DeChambeau, but it vanished after a double-bogey on the first hole.
McIlroy is the first Masters champion to record four double-bogeys in a single tournament, having had two in the first round.
