Rory McIlroy has finally claimed the coveted Green Jacket, winning the Masters in dramatic fashion and completing his career Grand Slam.
The 35-year-old Northern Irishman defeated Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff on Sunday after both players finished the final round tied. McIlroy, who missed a crucial five-foot par putt on the 18th hole in regulation, redeemed himself by birdieing the first playoff hole to secure the victory.
As his winning putt dropped, McIlroy raised his arms to the sky and fell to his knees, overwhelmed with emotion. Cheers of “Rory! Rory!” echoed around Augusta National as he embraced his wife Erica and daughter Poppy.
“There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green,” McIlroy said during the Green Jacket presentation. “A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”
With this win, McIlroy joins golf legends Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the only players to win all four major championships.
The journey wasn’t easy. McIlroy held a four-shot lead at the turn but faced challenges on the back nine. At the par-five 15th hole, he delivered a remarkable shot, hooking the ball around trees and over water to land six feet from the pin. Although he missed the eagle putt, the birdie put him ahead by one.
Justin Rose, playing earlier, sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th to tie McIlroy, setting up the tense playoff. But McIlroy’s skill and determination shone through as he clinched the win, becoming the first European to achieve the career Grand Slam.
“This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” McIlroy reflected. “I guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
For Rose, it was another near miss at Augusta, marking his third runner-up finish at the Masters.
