Rory Finally Masters Augusta

As of 2024, only five men had completed a career grand slam in golf, which means winning all four of the sport’s major championships: the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship. Those men were Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. This year, however, with the end of the 89th annual Masters Tournament, one more name was added to this list: Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy. 

The Masters is one of the most prestigious and tradition-based tournaments in golf, being the only major tournament held at the same venue every year: Augusta National. The four day competition with 72 holes, a selective group competes to earn their spot in Masters history, as well as the elusive Green Jacket. Besides the competition, The Masters is also known for its unique customs. For example, the winner chooses the dinner menu at The Masters Champions Dinner during the following year, and food prices on the grounds have remained unchanged since 2002: fans can get classics such as pimento cheese or egg salad sandwiches for $1.50. These details build Augusta National’s timeless character; sport and tradition are heavily intertwined to create an iconic tournament with an aura “unique to golf and to sport.” 

This mystique is amplified by the physical and mental challenge Augusta’s difficult layout poses—extreme topography, water hazards, and an exceptionally long 7,545-yard course with an average course around 6,600 yards. The prestige, paired with the pressure of performing well, makes being able to win The Masters a challenge for even the best of golfers. For McIlroy, that challenge had a personal weight. He had previously won four major tournaments (2011 U.S. Open, 2012 and 2014 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship) and was consistently a projected Masters winner because of his previous successes. Yet, for nine years straight, The Masters was his biggest roadblock. He faced intense media scrutiny for consistently defying predictions and disappointing fans, either missing the cut or blowing leads he had.

Going into the 2025 Masters, though McIlroy was on the radar to win, he was not one of the top prospects. Bryson DeChambeau was a favorite, coming from winning the 2024 U.S. Open with his signature long drives—perfect for Augusta’s uncharacteristically long course. Other contending players were Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, and Collin Morikawa. 

However, during the first days of the tournament, McIlroy quietly played some of the most consistent and composed golf of the field, scoring an opening round of 69 on Thursday and a six-under round of 66 on Friday. This put him at six under overall, just two shots behind 36-hole leader Justin Rose, whom McIlroy would later face in a playoff. On Saturday, McIlroy shot an impressive bogey-free 67, including birdies on three of the last five holes, highlighting his momentum. At 12 under, McIlroy took the solo lead going into the final round on Sunday, even holding a two-shot lead over his playing partner and favorite Bryson DeChambeau. At this point, Rose had only a five-under finish after a third-round score of three-over par disrupted the strong momentum he had during the opening rounds.

There is an old saying that the real Masters doesn’t begin until the back nine on Sunday. During the fourth round, DeChambeau fell out of the top ranks after four bogeys and a double put him three-over for the day and only seven-under overall. McIlroy had trouble—two double bogeys tied him with Rose, who was back on his game with 10 birdies.This loss of momentum for McIlroy caused many to fear that he had sealed his fate for the narrative to repeat itself and for him to miss another shot at The Masters. But this year, McIlroy responded well under pressure and answered with calm, calculated play. He birdied the 13th and 15th holes with aggressive second shots and then hit an iron to six feet on the 17th to set up another birdie. His recovery reminded fans of the talent that had consistently made him an anticipated winner.

At the end of the fourth round, Rose and McIlroy were tied at 11-under and went into a sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole. With the world watching and one of the most perfect holes ever played, McIlroy sunk his birdie putt to complete his career grand slam. McIlroy collapsed to the green in emotion. “There wasn’t much joy in that reaction. It was all relief, […] And then the joy came pretty soon after that. I’ve been coming here 17 years, and it was a decade-plus of emotion that came out of me there,” he described.

With that single putt, McIlroy secured himself a Green Jacket, a place in Masters history, and a whopping $4.2 million. Besides the generous payout and the addition to his major championship total, McIlroy's win marked the satisfying completion of a career milestone over a decade in the making. Though a little cliche, McIlroy’s closing line of his ceremonial speech on the 18th green—dedicated to his daughter, Poppy—summed up his time at Augusta National: “Never, ever give up on your dreams. Keep coming back; keep working hard; and if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. I love you.”