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Rory McIlroy ended his agonizing 11-year wait for another major championship on Sunday, as the Northern Irishman clinched his first green jacket at Augusta National. With this victory, McIlroy becomes only the sixth golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam—joining the ranks of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
The win came in dramatic fashion as McIlroy defeated his European Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose in a playoff, capping a rollercoaster final round with an unforgettable birdie at the extra hole on the 18th.
A History-Making Victory For Rory McIlroy
For McIlroy, this Masters triumph marks his fifth career major and the culmination of more than a decade of heartbreak and near-misses at Augusta. He had carried the burden of expectations for years, but on Sunday, he delivered under pressure.
The final moment was worthy of the occasion. After hitting a wedge shot from 125 yards to within three feet on the playoff hole, McIlroy calmly sank the birdie putt after Rose missed his attempt. As the ball dropped, so did McIlroy—to his knees, overwhelmed by the moment.
A Lead Lost and Regained For Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy started the day with a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau. But that cushion evaporated immediately. A double-bogey six on the first hole, combined with a par from DeChambeau, leveled the playing field. When DeChambeau birdied the second and McIlroy made par, the lead flipped.
However, McIlroy quickly wrestled back momentum. He made back-to-back birdies while DeChambeau faltered with two bogeys in a row, putting McIlroy three strokes ahead.
While DeChambeau faded, Justin Rose mounted a determined charge. After making four birdies and two bogeys on the front nine, he stood four shots behind McIlroy. But the Englishman was far from done. A trio of birdies from holes 11 to 13 brought him firmly into contention.
At the same time, McIlroy’s round began to unravel. Despite birdies at 9 and 10, his troubles began at the par-five 13th. After playing it safe with a layup, McIlroy found the water from just 86 yards out, leading to a costly double-bogey seven. Another bogey followed at 14, as the leaderboard continued to shift.
“The Shot of a Grand Slam Champion”
With Rose now tied and the pressure mounting, McIlroy produced one of the most iconic shots of his career on the 15th hole. Stymied by an overhanging tree, McIlroy hit a sweeping seven-iron draw to within six feet of the pin.
Though he missed the eagle putt, he secured a critical birdie to retake the lead. A par at 16 and a brilliant birdie at 17 gave him a two-shot cushion once again.
Justin Rose wasn’t done. At the 18th, he drained a stunning 20-foot birdie putt, cutting McIlroy’s lead to one and setting up a tense finale.
McIlroy found the fairway off the tee, seemingly on course to clinch it in regulation. But another twist was in store: he pushed his approach into a greenside bunker and failed to get up and down, resulting in a bogey. A playoff would decide the 89th Masters.
Playoff Brilliance Seals McIlroy’s Legacy
Back on the 18th tee, both players were poised for the defining moment. Rose went first and struck a strong approach to about 10 feet below the hole.
Then came McIlroy’s final masterpiece—an exquisite wedge from 125 yards that nestled three feet from the flag. Rose’s birdie putt slid past the hole, and the stage was set. McIlroy rolled in his putt, ending the Masters in the most poetic way possible.
His reaction—dropping to his knees—spoke louder than words.
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