Rory McIlroy completes his long-awaited career grand slam with Masters triumph
Rory McIlroy had been trying for 11 arduous years to join one of golf's most exclusive fraternities, and his long wait came to an end on Sunday with a win at the Masters.
McIlroy, who started Sunday's final round with a two-stroke lead, overcame some bumps in the road including a furious comeback by Justin Rose to force a one-hole playoff after shooting 1-over par on the day, and finishing at 11-under par for the tournament and cementing his place among the game's immortals.
Video above: Rory McIlroy at Boston Common Golf
With his victory at the Masters, the 35-year-old completed the career grand slam - winning each of golf's four majors. McIlroy becomes just the sixth player to accomplish the feat joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
McIlroy defeated the Englishman Rose in a redo of hole 18 after sinking a four-foot putt to birdie and securing the historic victory.
Immediate emotion fell over McIlroy, tossing his putter and hat in the air and letting out a huge scream just before falling to his knees as the crowd on hand cheered him on.
McIlroy then met up with his wife Erica Stoll and his daughter, Poppy, to continue the celebration.
The now five-time major champion, still emotional, told the CBS broadcast that the feeling of finally overcoming the drought is an "incredible" feeling.
"This is my 17th time here and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time, and I think the last ten coming here, with the burden of the grand slam on my shoulders, and trying to achieve that. I'm sort of wondering what we're going to talk about going into next year's Masters," McIlroy said.
"But I'm just absolutely honored and thrilled, and just so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion."
Not always easy
McIlroy's pursuit of history got off to a rocky start on Sunday with a double bogey on the first hole at Augusta National.
After his playing partner Bryson DeChambeau birdied the second hole, McIlroy suddenly found himself a shot behind after beginning the day two strokes ahead.
But McIlroy kept his wits about him, and as DeChambeau faltered on the ensuing holes, McIlroy carded birdies on the third and fourth holes to regain a three-stroke lead.
McIlroy ran off a streak of pars after that, but as Justin Rose and Ludvig Åberg attempted to make a run up the leaderboard, the 2022 Masters runner-up again put his foot on the gas.
A pair of birdies on the ninth and 10th holes kept the challengers at a comfortable distance.
But the road got more and more bumpy at the turn into the back nine.
After hitting a shot into the Rae's Creek on 13th hole for a double bogey and another bogey on the 14th let Rose take over the lead at 11-under temporarily.
Now at 10-under par and in a tie for second with Åberg, McIlroy would birdie two of the next three holes including on hole 17 to take the lead right back, leading Rose by one-stroke entering the 18th hole.
After a shot from the fairway landed in a bunker, McIlroy recovered by setting up a five-foot putt to secure the major win.
However, McIlroy would miss the putt to force the playoff.
Despite needing a playoff to win, McIlroy thought he did a "good job bouncing back" from both double bogeys.
"I was really nervous going out. It was almost as if the double bogey at the first calmed my nerves a little bit, and sort of got me into it in a funny way," McIlroy said.
"I just think all week I responded to setbacks. I think that's what I'll take from this week. And you know couldn't be more proud of myself for that and being able to bounce back when I needed to."
History 11 years in the making
The Northern Irishman first made his presence felt at Augusta in 2011 at the age of just 21. McIlroy took a four-shot lead to Sunday that year, before collapsing on in the final round with an eight-over round of 80 and finishing the tournament tied for 15th place.
McIlroy's path toward golf history began later that year, when he won his first major at the US Open. A year later, he lifted the Wanamaker Trophy as winner of the PGA Championship in 2012 at age 23.
By the end of the 2014 season, a 25-year-old McIlroy had won the Open Championship and added another PGA Championship title.
A grand slam-capping Masters victory felt imminent and inevitable.
But McIlroy's torrid pace at the majors slowed as years passed without adding another grand slam championship.
The Northern Irishman kept on winning during that time, but the major trophies continued to elude him.
Currently the second-ranked golfer in the world, McIlroy has ended the season in the Official World Golf Rankings' top 10 every year since 2009. He also logged seven top-10 finishes at the Masters in that span.
In 2022, a year after missing the cut at Augusta, McIlroy had his closest brush with a Masters win. He rode a blistering final round 64 to a second place finish that year, finishing just behind champion Scottie Scheffler.
The 11-year drought between major championships that McIlroy ended Sunday matches the longest gap between major wins for any player in golf history.
A thrilling tournament overall
Golf fans were spoiled this week at the 89th playing of the Masters.
Good weather, great play on the course and history gave fans all they can ask.
Rose has now finished runner-up in golf's most prized tournament three times, previously in 2015 and 2017.
Even with his third time being a runner-up at the tournament, Rose found solace in how he played.
"Some of the golf I've played this week has been probably the finest of my career, tee-to-green, and even on the greens at times. … But I woke up this morning, just really grateful to be Sunday of Augusta. It's a special day in the game of golf no matter what, and really wanted to go and put a good account on myself and felt like I got off to a strong start," Rose said to reporters.
"Then something happened, for sure, around the middle of round. I just kind of went into the place that you dream about going to. I felt so good with my game. Felt so good with my mind. I began to sense that I was playing my way into the tournament. I was laser focused out there.
"And unfortunately, the playoff, they always end so quickly. You know, that's sudden death. You don't really get an opportunity. If you're not the guy to hit the great shot or hole the great putt, it's over. So I felt like, that's the nature of sudden death. But not really anything I could have done more today."
LIV Golf's Patrick Reed finished third at 9-under and reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler in fourth place at 8-under par, failing to become to the first back-to-back winner since Woods did so in 2001 and 2002.
Despite coming into the day on McIlroy's tail for the lead, DeChambeau tumbled down the leaderboard after a rough outing on Masters Sunday.
The 31-year-old finished 3-over 75 to finish tied for fifth with Im Sung-jae at 7-under.
DeChambeau criticized his "iron play" as the reason for the poor round but remained positive for the future.
"It would have been a lot different outcome. But could have, should have, would haves. You've got to do it out here, and it's going to be a fun playoff to watch," DeChambeau said.
"But I take a lot of good from this week. I'm excited for the rest of my life."
Golf's next major is just over a month away, with the PGA Championship set to tee off from May 15-18 from Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
