Rory McIlroy secured his first Masters victory and accomplished golf’s profession Grand Slam on Sunday at Augusta Nationwide, defeating Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff with a four-foot birdie putt. The world quantity two from Northern Eire overcame a number of setbacks throughout the closing spherical, together with squandering the solo lead 3 times, to hitch the elite group of gamers who’ve gained all 4 main championships.
McIlroy’s historic triumph got here after 17 makes an attempt on the Masters, making him the sixth golfer alongside Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Participant, Gene Sarazen, and Ben Hogan to attain the profession Grand Slam.
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“It feels unimaginable. That is my seventeenth time right here. I used to be questioning if it could ever be my time. I am thrilled and so proud to have the ability to name myself a Masters champion,” McIlroy stated.
The victory earned McIlroy a report $4.2 million prize from the match’s $21 million purse, together with the coveted inexperienced jacket.
“The final 10 years coming right here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and making an attempt to attain that, I am kind of questioning what we’re all going to speak about going into subsequent yr’s Masters,” McIlroy mirrored.
The dramatic finale unfolded when McIlroy wanted a par on the 72nd gap to win however hit his strategy right into a greenside bunker and missed a five-foot par putt, forcing a playoff with Rose at 11-under 277.
“My battle as we speak was with myself. How I responded to setbacks, that is what I will take from this week,” McIlroy said.
Within the playoff, Rose’s strategy landed 15 toes from the opening, whereas McIlroy positioned his shot inside 4 toes. After Rose missed his birdie try, McIlroy made his putt to clinch the victory.
“I’ve dreamed about that second for so long as I can bear in mind,” McIlroy stated.
The emotional win triggered an outpouring of emotions as McIlroy dropped to his knees on the 18th inexperienced, crying and later embracing his caddie Harry Diamond, spouse, and daughter whereas followers chanted his title.
“There was a number of pent up emotion that got here out on that 18th inexperienced. A second like that makes all of the years and all of the shut calls price it,” McIlroy shared.
The 35-year-old’s journey to victory included overcoming a double-bogey begin that erased his preliminary two-shot lead, briefly falling behind Bryson DeChambeau earlier than reclaiming the lead by two-shot swings on consecutive holes.
“I might say it was 14 years within the making, from going out with a four-shot lead in 2011 and feeling I may have carried out one thing there,” McIlroy recalled, referencing his earlier Masters disappointment.
McIlroy’s closing spherical of 73 included a double-bogey on the par-five thirteenth and a bogey at 14, however he responded with essential birdies on the fifteenth and seventeenth holes.
“It is one of the best day of my {golfing} life. I am very happy with myself for by no means giving up and all the time preventing again,” McIlroy declared.
Rose mounted a robust problem with a closing spherical of 66, together with birdies on six of the final eight holes, however in the end fell brief within the playoff.
The victory marked McIlroy’s third title of the yr, following wins at The Gamers Championship and the Pebble Seashore Professional-Am, bringing his profession US PGA Tour victories to 29.
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