AUGUSTA, GA.—The wait is over. It took nearly 11 years, but Rory McIlroy’s story finally reached ultimate glory—a Masters green jacket. The road during Sunday’s final round was anything but assured, and the 89th Masters had a spellbinding number of twists and turns.
In the end, McIlroy made rare golf history, becoming the sixth golfer to have won the career Grand Slam—the most recent coming in 2000 when Tiger Woods won The Open Championship at St. Andrews.
The dream of attaining a green jacket first appeared possible 14 years ago in 2011, when the Northern Irishman had a four-shot lead entering the final round before crashing with a final round 80.
McIlroy burst onto the world golf scene in a noticeable manner. By age 25, he joined only two other golfers, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, in winning four majors by such an early age. The expectation for more major wins was more than probable—it appeared likely.
But over the course of nearly 11 years, a number of things would take place to keep him from adding to his major total.
In 2022, McIlroy was outplayed at The Open Championship at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Last year, he maintained the lead late into the final round at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, but his putting mishaps opened the door for Bryson DeChambeau to claim the title.
McIlroy looked to be cruising to certain victory at this year’s Masters, but then inexplicably made double-bogey at the par-5 13th after dumping an 85-yard wedge shot into the creek that borders the green. At the 14th, he added another bogey when his par remained just outside the hole.
Now, what seemed so certain just 30 minutes prior turned into a head-spinning situation, with other players now in the mix. McIlroy then played a sensational approach to the par-5 15th in hitting a high-hooking 7-iron to 5 feet for eagle. But there would be no payoff—the putt missed and he settled for a birdie there.
At the par-3 16th, he played a quality 8-iron to 10 feet. Again, missing the putt.
The par-4 17th saw him play another 8-iron to 4 feet away. This time, the putt was holed, and he came to the 18th needing just a par to claim the tournament.
A superb drive left him just 125 yards from the green. Then another heart-stopping moment happened. McIlroy’s gap wedge went right and landed in a greenside bunker. His recovery left him 5 feet for the win. What looked like a final ending to his green jacket journey was not to be. The putt missed, and a playoff with a surging Justin Rose would be needed to settle matters as both men concluded play with 277 totals (-11).
Both men played the par-4 18th well. Rose had 15 feet for his birdie, but the putt slid right of the hole at the last moment. McIlroy played his approach from nearly the same location as he did in regulation play. However, this time, his gap wedge finished 3 feet from the hole.
His next stroke found the bottom of the hole, and the pent-up emotions came pouring out. He went to his knees, covering his head with his hands in total joy and ultimate relief that the nearly 11-year majorless streak was now finally in the rearview mirror.
McIlroy’s assessment following the triumph was totally candid.
“My battle was with my self today—it was a struggle to get over the line today,” he said.
Before coming to Augusta, McIlroy had a sit-down meeting with Jack Nicklaus. The 18-time major champion and winner of a record six green jackets said it plainly and in direct terms about McIlroy.
“The discipline is what Rory has lacked, in my opinion. He’s got all the shots—he’s got all the game. He’s certainly is as talented as anybody in the game. If you look back at his history the last few years he gets to a place where an eight or seven pops up, and that keeps you from getting to where he needs to go,” he said.
McIlroy started this year’s Masters in fine fashion on Thursday. Reaching four-under-par through the first 14 holes before scoring double-bogeys at the 15th and 17th holes and derailing what should have been a sub-70 round.
McIlroy bounced back in rounds two and three, scoring 66 in each and building a two-shot edge over his closest pursuer, DeChambeau.
At the opening hole for Sunday’s fine round, the lack of discipline Nicklaus outlined appeared to rear its head again. McIlroy double-bogeyed the hole, and the lead was gone. After DeChambeau birdied the 2nd hole, McIlroy trailed by a single shot.
What then happened showed the discipline Nicklaus was talking about and that McIlroy needed to demonstrate. He birdied the 3rd and 4th holes and was finally able to regain control until the chaotic back nine.
No Master’s champion has had four double-bogeys in a tournament and still been able to don the green jacket. For McIlroy, failure was not an option.
So where does McIlroy find himself on golf’s all-time pecking order?
The 35-year-old now has the same number of major wins as Brooks Koepka and Seve Ballesteros. However, his attainment of membership in the career Grand Slam club, plus the totality of wins over the length of his career, has him ahead of both.
Although McIlroy trails Lee Trevino, Phil Mickelson, and Nick Faldo by one major victory, his career Grand Slam accomplishment provides him a clear edge over each of the three. The only one of the three with the best of arguments is Mickelson, who has won more PGA Tour titles, secured a major win after turning 50, and was runner-up in the U.S. Open a record six times.
The jubilation from the patrons at Augusta on hand to witness McIlroy’s winning moment was prolonged and heartfelt. Clearly, on the same level as when Woods won his 5th green jacket in 2019 and when Mickelson earned his first Masters title in 2004.
The monkey that had been on McIlroy’s back is now removed forever. Coming into 2025, McIlroy stated three important goals: win the Masters, win an Olympic medal, and be part of a road-winning Euro Ryder Cup team on U.S. soil. He has now achieved one of them, and the likelihood of achieving the other two is clearly attainable.
Not all sports stories have happy endings. McIlroy did what Nicklaus outlined in their talk together. The PGA Championship is next on golf’s major calendar in May. McIlroy is well-acquainted with the venue, Qual Hollow, having won the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship a record four times (in 2010, 2015, 2021, and 2024).
Will the floodgates open for McIlroy to add even more major titles? Momentum and self-belief are powerful elements that can spur athletes on to even greater heights.
McIlroy will savor the Augusta triumph and plans to visit his parents in Northern Ireland next week to honor the considerable sacrifices both made for their prodigy son.
The McIlroy train was derailed for nearly 11 years until Sunday’s Augusta win.
A powerful locomotive is now up and running and eager to travel what looks like the promising path that lies ahead for 2025.
We shall see.
