Rory McIlroy wins The Masters to complete career grand slam

A new chapter of golf history has been written tonight at Augusta National Golf Club. Rory McIlroy has won the Masters, becoming just the sixth golfer – and the first European – to complete the career grand slam.

The Irishman survived a nerve-shredding, error-strewn and exhilarating final round to beat Justin Rose at the first extra hole of a sudden death playoff, winning the Green Jacket and becoming an immortal of the sport.

He joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods in winning all four of golf’s marquee events at least once.

The victory is McIlroy’s fifth major triumph and his first since the 2014 PGA Championship.

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“It feels incredible,” said the new champ. “This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time.

“I think the last ten years coming here with the burden of the grand slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that, I’m sort of wondering what we’re all going to talk about going into next year’s Masters.

“But I’m just absolutely honoured and thrilled and just so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion.”

McIlroy’s victory comes 14 years after he squandered a four-shot lead with nine holes to play whilst searching for his first major win in 2011.

He had the same advantage at the same point this year but a combination of sloppy mistakes – most notably a double at 13 – and a charging Justin Rose raised fears that another major, and Masters near-miss, was on the cards.

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Birdies at 15 and 17 left him needing only a par at the last to seal the title. Alas, he failed to get up and down from a fairway bunker, forcing extra holes with former US Open champion Rose.

The Englishman appeared to have seized the advantage with a towering approach to 15 feet but McIlroy stuffed his to two. When Rose failed to convert and McIlroy rolled in his putt, history was delivered.

McIlroy tossed back his putter and fell to his knees as patrons and golf fans the world over roared his name.

By his own admission, it was a victory 14 years in the making.

“There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green,” he said. “A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.

“It’s a dream come true. I have dreamt about that moment for as long as I can remember.

“I mentioned it out in the prize ceremony, but watching Tiger here in 1997 do what he did, and then winning his first green jacket, I think that inspired so many of my generation to want to emulate what he did.

“There were points in my career where I didn’t know if I would have this nice garment over my shoulders. I certainly didn’t make it easy today. I was nervous. It was one of the toughest days I’ve ever had on the golf course.

“It was a heavy weight to carry, and thankfully now I don’t have to carry it and it frees me up and I know I’m coming back here every year, which is lovely.”

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Head of Content