Katie Goodale - Imagn Images
It was never going to be easy for Rory McIlroy to get the enormous monkey that not winning The Masters has placed on his back. But, no one could’ve imagined a more dramatic way to win The Masters than the way Rory finally got it done on Sunday.
After making a dramatic birdie on the first playoff hole, McIlroy finally had the Green Jacket, and a career grand slam to go with it. You could see the pressure lifted off of his shoulders as emotion poured out of him.
Rory entered Sunday with a three-shot lead, but it evaporated within 2 holes, and set off a crazy days of golf as Bryson Dechambeau faded, Justin Rose stormed to the front from 7 back, and Rory kept playing up-and-down golf.
When it was nearly all settled, Rory had a short putt on 18 in regulation to win the tournament by a shot over Justin Rose, who was in the clubhouse at -11. But, he missed.
RORY MISSES A 5 FOOT PUTT FOR THE CAREER GRAND SLAM 😲
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 13, 2025
That set up a playoff, and after Justin Rose stuffed his approach shot to about 12 feet, McIlroy hit his in close, setting up this putt to win after Rose’s putt just missed.
Rory McIlroy found a way to make the putt, though I think he pulled it a bit. Take a look at the emotion coming out of Rory.
A long time coming. Congratulations, Rory. #themasters pic.twitter.com/f72nOxQbfw
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2025
Since his last major victory, the 2014 PGA Championship, McIlroy has had 21 top ten finishes in majors and six top tens at Augusta National since his last win. Those things, plus a devastating collapse at the Masters as a young player in 2011 had accumulated into a lot of emotional trauma. Last year, he lost the US Open after missing two very shot putts in the final few holes, one of many chokes he’s had down the stretch at a major in his career.
But, on Sunday, Rory McIlroy got it done, and he was understandably emotional.