Rory McIlroy ended his long wait for a Masters title with a birdie on the opening hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat Justin Rose, and claim a career Grand Slam, following a nerve-wracking final round on Sunday.
After missing a five-foot par putt at the 18th hole in regulation to fall into a playoff, McIlroy made sure he did not let his latest chance at major glory slip away, and returned to the same hole in the extra session to roll in his approach from two feet away.
When the winning putt dropped, the Northern Irishman raised his arms toward the clear sky and let his putter fall behind him as he fell to his knees, overcome with emotion.
McIlroy then embraced his wife Erica and daughter Poppy as chants of “Rory! Rory!” rang out around the green, before making his way toward Butler Cabin to collect the Green Jacket that he almost threw away earlier, after a back-nine stumble.
“There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green,” McIlroy said just before slipping on the Green Jacket during the presentation ceremony. “A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”
With the win, McIlroy joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win each of the four major championships.
The 35-year-old arrived at the season’s first major, where in 2011 he blew a four-shot lead on the back nine, seeking his first major since August 2014 to end a barren run that came with its fair share of near misses.
Late in the closing round, it looked like McIlroy was once again headed for major heartbreak, as golfers traded positions on the leaderboard at a mind-bending pace.
The World No. 2 had been in complete control when he reached the turn, but shockingly relinquished a seemingly comfortable four-shot lead, and then delivered two of the best shots of his career late to keep his hopes alive.
At the par-five 15th hole, McIlroy smacked a remarkable draw that hooked around some branches and sailed over the pond fronting the green, where his ball settled six feet away. He missed the eagle putt, but the birdie moved him one shot clear of Rose.
After Rose, who was playing five groups ahead, drew level with 20-foot birdie on the 18th green, McIlroy again dug into his bag of tricks with a masterful stroke at the par-four 17th hole, where his approach from 197 yards stopped two feet from the cup.
McIlroy had a chance to clinch his fifth major title in regulation, but missed a five-foot par putt on the 18th green, before getting it done in the playoff to become the sixth man, and first European, to complete the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors.
“This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” said McIlroy. “I think the last 10 years, coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that, yeah, I’m sort of wondering what we’re all going to talk about going into next year’s Masters.”
The outcome marked more Masters heartbreak for Rose, who lost to Sergio Garcia in a playoff in 2017, and has now finished as runner-up three times at Augusta National.
