Augusta, Ga. — Rory McIlroy’s long and painful career grand slam is finally over.
And the biggest achievement of his career was as nervous and dramatic as the near misses he had before.
The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland became the sixth golfer to complete his career grand slam after beating Justin Rose on the first hole of the sudden death playoffs in the final round of the 89th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday.
McIlroy joined Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only golfer to win four major championships during his Masters era.
“This was my 17th time I’ve had here and I started to wonder if it would be my time,” McIlroy said. “I think the last 10 years have been trying to come here with a Grand Slam burden on my shoulder and achieve that.
In the playoffs on the par 4 on the 18th, both players hit tee shots on the fairway. Rose’s approach from 187 yards almost hit a hole on the spot, and his ball bounced over 15 feet. McIlroy’s second shot was even better, as patrons surrounding the green recited his name, his ball went back four feet from the cup, rolling it and landed on the slope above the hole.
After a few minutes reading the putt, Rose’s birdie attempts remained unbreakable and remained correctly. McIlroy didn’t miss out again on his second chance to capture his first green jacket after he missed the fifth footer on the 72nd hole.
McIlroy threw a putter into the air and got his head. He kneeled and cried before hugging the caddy, Harry Diamond. McIlroy found his wife, Erica and daughter Poppy, and took a long walk from the 18th Green to the clubhouse, still crying as thousands of customers cheered him on.
Later, when McIlroy walked to the practice green for a trophy presentation, he hugged Brad Faxon, the putting coach, former PGA Tour player, and said, “What a roller coaster.”
“I think it was 14 years between 14 years, as we took a four-shot lead in 2011. “Yeah, there were a lot of pent-up emotions that just came out on that 18th green. That moment is all year and every close call is worth it.”
McIlroy thanked his family and team, accepting the trophy just before sliding his green jacket.
“They came out on this journey with me,” McIlroy said. “They know the burden I come here every year and try to try again.”
Woods also knew the pressure, and the five-time master winner congratulated McIlroy on social media.
“Welcome to the club @mcilroyrory,” Woods posted on X.
Welcome to the club @mcilroyrory. Complete a Grand Slam in Augusta is special. Your resolve during this round, and this whole journey, has been revealed, and now you are part of history. I’m proud of you!
– Tigerwoods (@tigerwoods) April 14, 2025
McIlroy finished 11 under with just enough to join that luxury club on the final 18 holes. Also, Rose, who finished 11 under, chased him with a 6-under 66, including a 20-foot birdie putt on his 72nd hole, to force his first playoff with the Masters since 2017.
Rose also made its appearance in that playoffs and fell to Spain’s Sergio Garcia in the first hole.
On Sunday, Rose had six strokes behind McIlroy through hole 10, but on the final eight holes, including the giant putt on No. 18, there were six birdies and two bogeys to eliminate the deficit.
“It was kind of putt you dream of as a child, and it was a special feeling to have it and make a hole,” Rose said of the putt who forced the playoffs. “And unfortunately, the playoffs, they always end very quickly.
“You know, it’s a sudden death. You really don’t get the chance. If you’re not the one who hits great shots or holes, it’s over.
McIlroy had the opportunity to capture a green jacket on hole 72. His tee shot safely found the fairway, but his approach flares up to the right and landed in the greenside bunker. He calmly cuts down to about five feet. His par putt passed the lowside hole and sent him into the playoffs with Rose.
2018 Masters champion Liv Golf’s Patrick Reed finished third with a 3-under 69 on Sunday. World No. 1 golfer Scotty Scheffler, who was about to win the third green jacket in four years, finished fourth at 8 under after scoring 69.
It was McIlroy’s 11th attempt to finish a career grand slam, and among those who most did it, it seemed he had to wait another year after he wasted a four-stroke lead in a thrilling second nine.
On the verge of collapse again at the Masters, McIlroy delivered one of the most memorable shots of his career on a par 4 17th day. Rose was already in the clubhouse as the 11-under co-leader, so McIlroy had to birdie one of the last two holes to avoid the sudden death playoffs.
After hitting a 248-yard drive to the right of the fairway, McIlroy hit the iron and “Go, go, go!” to the ball as he followed the fairway. His ball bouncing off the green and rolled two feet out of the cup. He made the birdie go to 12 under.
That alone seemed enough until McIlroy missed the short putt of the 18th.
It was McIlroy’s fifth major championship victory and his first victory in over a decade. He also won the 2011 US Open, 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and 2014 Open Championships.
McIlroy made a turn at 1 under 35 and was the first golfer to reach 13 under. He added another birdie on the par 4 10th to maintain a four-stroke lead.
However, McIlroy chases him with a prayer that comes back when he struggles with two holes in the iconic Amen Corner of Augusta National. On the par 4 11th, McIlroy’s approach approached the pond in front of the greenery. His ball stopped on the bank. He chipped at 10 feet and missed the putt. Bogie dropped him to 13 under.
After making par on the 12th, the disaster struck on the 13th. McIlroy took a conservative strategy after hitting a 300-yard drive down the fairway. Instead of going to the green, he sorted out his approach to 86 yards. He then hit one of the worst wedge shots of his career. His ball sailed anywhere near his target, bouncing back twice at the bank and fell into a tributary of Ray’s Creek.
“I wanted to cry for him,” said Decanbo, who was playing with McIlroy. “I mean, as a pro, you know you hit it in the middle of the green. I can’t believe he went for it.
“When you’re about to win a major championship, especially here, Augusta Sunday at Masters, you have to do it and do the right thing.
After a one-stroke penalty, McIlroy was missing 11 feet. He missed the putt and made a double bogey 7 card. Rose’s lead has now become one.
Then, on the 14th of the par 4, McIlroy pushed the tee shot into the tree on the right, and his approach was lacking in green. He was missing about 10 feet. His putt looked broken in the hole, but stopped about an inch from the cup. Another bogie dropped him to 10 under and dropped him with a three-way tie with Rose and Rudig Åberg.
McIlroy took a two-stroke lead over DeChambeau into the final round, but was gone after he made a double bogie on the first hole.
McIlroy is the Masters champion with four cards with four double bogeys in the tournament (he had two in the first round).