Rory McIlroy described his career Grand Slam-clinching victory at The Masters as the best day of his golfing life as he edged out Justin Rose in a play-off, following an extraordinary final day at Augusta National.
McIlroy recovered from losing his overnight two-shot advantage with an opening-hole double bogey to stretch ahead by four, only to then blow that lead over his closing six holes.
A bogey at the last forced McIlroy to replay the 18th against Rose, who earned his play-off spot with a stunning final-round 66, where he fired a terrific approach to within three feet of the pin and clinched victory with a birdie.
“It feels incredible,” McIlroy said when getting his hands on a first Green Jacket in Butler’s Cabin. “This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time?.
“I’d say it was 14 years in the making, from going out with the four-shot lead in 2011 – feeling like I could have got it done there. There was a lot of pent up emotion that just came out on the 18th green. But a moment like that makes all of the years and close calls worth it.”
McIlroy: Masters pursuit was heavy burden
With his victory, McIlroy ended an 11-year drought in major tournaments, earned a fifth title and first at Augusta National – 14 years on from, as he mentioned, a final-round collapse in 2011.
It also saw him become just the sixth golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
At his press conference, McIlroy spoke of how challenging the pursuit of that goal has been over the past decade.
“I’ve carried that burden since August 2014, nearly 11 years – not just about winning my next major, but the career Grand Slam, to join only five players to do it,” he said.
“I watched a lot of my peers get Green Jackets in the process; it’s been difficult. I’ve tried to approach this tournament with the most positive attitude every time I’ve turned up, and I think the accumulative experience I’ve gained coming back here every year, I feel like I get a little more comfortable with the shots needed.
“But there’s talking about it and actually doing it. It was a heavy weight to carry but thankfully now I don’t have to carry it and it hopefully frees me up. I know I’m coming back here every year, which is lovely!”
McIlroy added: “I’m not going to compare it to life moments like a marriage or having a child, but it’s the best day of my golfing life.
“I’m very proud of myself. I’m proud of never giving up. I’m proud of how I kept coming back and dusting myself off and not letting the disappointments really get to me.”
McIlroy thought ‘have I let this slip again?’
As well as McIlroy’s collapse when leading The Masters in 2011, more recently he left final-round leads slip through his fingers at The Open in 2022 and at the US Open in back to back years in 2023 and 2024.
Leading by two going into the final day of The Masters, McIlroy saw that disappear immediately when double-bogeying the opening hole. Then, having rebuilt a four-stroke advantage by the 13th, another double saw that soon evaporate.
There were some remarkable shots and gains in among McIlroy’s errors, and eventually one such approach when replaying 18 in the play-off earned him the title.
“You have to be the eternal optimist in this game,” McIlroy said. “I have been saying it until I am blue in the face but I truly believe I am a better player now than 10 years ago.
“It is so hard to stay patient, keep coming back and not being able to get it done.”
The 35-year-old added: “Today was difficult; I was unbelievably nervous this morning, as you witnessed with the double on the first hole.
“I was able to bounce back and show that resilience that I’ve talked about a lot. There were points on the back nine where I thought, ‘have I let this slip again?’ but I responded and am really proud of myself.
“It has been an emotional week so I am thrilled to be last man standing.”
Also, when asked what he would now tell his younger self who blew that four-shot lead at the 2011 Masters, McIlroy responded: “Having self-reflection and going through the hardships of tough losses [helps], so I would say to any young girl or boy to keep believing.
“I have literally made my dreams come true so if you work hard enough you can achieve anything.”
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
What’s next?
The PGA Tour heads to Hilton Head for the RBC Heritage, the latest Signature Event, with early coverage on Thursday from 12.15pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 7pm.
The women’s major season begins with the Chevron Championship from April 24-27, where Nelly Korda is defending champion, while the next men’s major is the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club form May 15-18. Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.
