Rory McIlroy wins Masters, breaks down in tears after thrilling, legacy defining win
The golf world held its breath as Rory McIlroy survived a rollercoaster final round to win the Masters in a thrilling finish.
He’s finally done it.
Rory McIlroy’s golf legacy is complete after he survived a rollercoaster final round to win the Masters and complete a career grand slam - winning the Masters, Open Championship, U.S. Open and PGA Championship.
The 35-year-old had the chance to win the green jacket on the final hole, but missed a five-foot putt on the 18th, sending the Masters to a playoff against England’s Justin Rose after they finished tied at 11-under.
Both McIlroy and Rose hit superb drives and approach shots on the playoff hole, but Rose missed his birdie putt, opening the door for McIlroy to take the win.
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This time he made no mistake, sinking the birdie putt to win the Masters in a thrilling finishing.
Commentator Jim Nantz exclaimed “McIlroy has his masterpiece” after he nailed the winning putt.
McIlroy collapsed on all fours and became emotional, removing his cap and celebrating as the magnitude of his achievement began to sink in.
The victory banished some serious demons for McIlroy, who had a four-shot lead heading into the final round at the 2011 Masters and choked in the final round of last year’s US Open.
It’s the fifth career major win for McIlroy and his first since his Open Championship triumph way back in 2014.
“I would say it was 14 years in the making, from going out with a four shot lead in 2011,” an emotional McIlroy said before he was presented with the green jacket by Scottie Scheffler.
“Feeling like I could have got it done there and there was a lot of pent-up emotion that came out on that 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.
“I think the last 10 years coming here with the burden of a grand slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that, it made me wonder what we were all going to talk about going into next year’s Masters.
“But I’m just so glad and proud to call myself a Masters champion. It feels incredible. This is my 17th time here and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time.”
McIlroy teared up as he paid tribute to his parents.
“I want to say hello to my mum and dad, they’re back home in Northern Island,” he said.
“I can’t wait to see them next week, I can’t wait to celebrate with them.”
Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee called it the “wildest day I’ve ever seen in the history of major championship golf”.
Chamblee said: “In fact I would call this the most bi-polar round of golf I have ever seen.
“We will never see another day like this in the history of the game. This is the most consequential victory I’ve ever seen.
Piers Morgan wrote on X: “He tortured us. He tortured himself…
“But in the end, after one of the greatest rollercoaster rides in sporting history, @McIlroyRory put his Major demons behind him to become Masters champion and look what it means to him. What a story. Congrats Rory!”
McIlroy is just the sixth man to win all four of golf’s majors — joining a list featuring Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. Only Woods and McIlroy have achieved that feat in the last 50 years.
The Northern Irishman took a two-shot lead into the fourth round at Augusta National but there were fears he would suffer a brutal collapse after a double bogey on the first hole saw his lead evaporate.
But McIlroy immediately recovered with a birdie and eagle to regain the lead. He looked like he was cruising to victory before disaster struck when he put his ball in the water on an approach shot on the 13th hole.
A double bogey there and a bogey on the 14th put McIlroy in trouble, but he recovered with birdies on the 15th and 17th gave him the lead.
McIlroy claimed the win despite recording four double bogeys across the tournament.
9.11am - Rory wins Masters on playoff!
Both Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy found the fairway on their drives on the playoff hole at the 18th.
Rose hit an excellent approach shot past the flag, only for McIlroy to outdo him with a brilliant shot that finished a few feet closer to the hole.
Legendary commentator Jim Nantz called it “one of the strangest rounds I’ve ever seen” from McIlroy.
Both players had birdie putts but Rose just missed his, and McIlroy made no mistake to birdie the hole and win the Masters on the playoff hole.
8.55am - McIlroy misses putt, going to a playoff
Oh boy. We are going to a playoff after Rory McIlroy bogeyed the 18th hole, missing a short putt to win the Masters and complete the career grand slam.
McIlroy put his second shot on the 18th into the bunker but he recovered superbly to give himself a five-foot putt to win the green jacket.
But he missed the putt to the left and bogeyed the hole, finishing the hole at 1-over and 11-under for the tournament.
England’s Justin Rose shot a blistering final round of 6-under to head to the clubhouse at 11-under, and now he will battle it out in a playoff with McIlroy for the Masters crown on the 18th hole.
McIlroy is battling some serious demons after he missed several short putts to miss out on winning last year’s US Open.
Sports broadcaster Daniel Garb wrote on X: “That is just sickening. Just like the US Open, so tentative again.”
Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde said: “Playoff. What a putting disaster of a back nine for Rory.”
John Jastremski said: “This has been some full-fledged Rory experience... Sudden death at Augusta!!!!!”
8.20am - McIlroy regains lead with utter brilliance
Just as it looked like the green jacket was slipping away from him, Rory McIlroy is back in the lead after a piece of sheer brilliance.
In a three-way tie for the lead with Justin Rose and Ludvig Aberg at 10-under, McIlroy hit a stunning 207-yard approach shot with a 7 iron on the par-5 15th hole, clearing the water.
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Commentator Jim Nantz described it as “the shot of a lifetime” from McIlroy. You can watch the shot in the video below.
Phil Gould posted: “That was such an epic shot … If Rory goes on to win this, that shot will be replayed for decades …”
He missed the eagle putt but tapped in for birdie, taking a one-shot lead at 11-under.
Justin Rose drew level with a birdie at the 18th to finish at 11-under and join the lead.
Ludvig Aberg bogeyed the 17th to drop to 9-under.
McIlroy hit another sublime approach shot on the 17th and nailed the birdie putt to move a shot clear at 12-under par.
7.15am - McIlroy puts ball in water, co-leaders joins fight
Here we go. They say the Masters doesn’t begin until the back nine on Sunday and that is proving to be true once again.
England’s Justin Rose is having a blinder at 6-under for the day and has joined Rory McIlroy in the lead at 11-under, along with Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who is 4-under for the day.
McIlroy had been cruising with a three-shot lead but came unstuck when he put his ball in the water on the par 5 13th hole.
McIlroy opted to lay up instead of going for the green with his second shot, which didn’t pay off as his approach chip shot caught the edge of the green before trickling back into the water hazard.
“I’m still in shock by this, the only way to explain this is the size of the moment,” a commentator said.
Phil Gould wrote on X: “It’s just excruciating watching Rory …”
One fan said: “This is heartbreaking to watch McIlroy self destruct on the back nine!”
Another said: “Wow. Absolute choke job from Rory McIlroy.”
7am - DeChambeau collapses out of contention
Bryson DeChambeau has fallen out of contention in a brutal final-round collapse at the Masters.
DeChambeau had played steadily all tournament and was in second behind McIlroy when it all went wrong for the American.
A double bogey at the 11th and a bogey at the 12th saw him fall down the leaderboard and his hopes of winning have gone up in smoke.
England’s Justin Rose is second ahead of Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, Scottie Scheffler and Connor Connors.
Australia’s Jason Day is two-under for the round and is still in the mix for a top-five finish at 7-under.
6.30am - McIlroy steadies after nightmare start
Hold onto your hats folks, this is going to be a tense final round.
It didn’t get off to a great start for Rory McIlroy, who double-bogeyed the par 4 first hole, evaporating his two-shot lead in a brutal start.
McIlroy had produced two near flawless rounds to get in the lead after two double bogeys in the first round, and the nerves were starting to show.
Golf reporter Dan Rapaport wrote on X: “It is almost impossible to win a major championship with 3 double-bogeys. NIGHTMARE start for Rory McIlroy.”
But McIlroy recovered with a birdie on the third and eagle on the fouth hole to open up a three-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau.
On the seventh hole, McIlroy produced a shot from the ages, whacking a spectacular iron shot through the trees to help him save par.
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