Rory McIlroy could not fight back the tears after finally securing the one golf major that had always evaded him, winning the 2025 Masters at Augusta National.
The Northern Irishman has now jointed the elite hall of fame and secured the career grand slam in golf, with only five others – including Tiger Woods – having achieved the feat.
McIlroy did it the hard way, missing a putt to win the Masters on the 18th, and having to go into a play-off with Englishman Justin Rose, who carded a stunning 66 on the final round with 10 birdies.
The sudden death play-off on the 18th hole saw McIlroy edge out his Ryder Cup team-mate, getting closest to the pin and putting for birdie, before being immediately swallowed up by the emotions of the occasion and letting the tears flow.
McIlroy sank to the putting surface, before embracing his caddie Harry Diamond.
It was only when he picked his young daughter up Poppy, who was standing by the ropes with McIlroy’s wife Erica, that the 35-year-old fully let the tears spill.
Then, it was on to the famous Butler Cabin for the passing of the green jacket. Speaking out for the first time as a Masters champion and a green jacket recipient, McIlroy said: “I’m so proud to call myself a Masters champion, I couldn’t be more proud of myself.
“This is my 17th time here and I’ve wondered if it would ever be my time.
“With the burden of the grand slam on me, I wonder what we’ll all talk about going into next year’s Masters.
“I just want to say hello to my mum and dad, they’re back home in northern Ireland.”
As the tears started to well in the eyes, chairman Fred Ridley noted how McIlroy’s parents had sacrified so much to make this dream possible, to which an emotional McIlroy agreed.
“I just can’t wait to go home and celebrate this with them,” he added.
Noting what helped him overcome the nerves in the playoff, McIlroy explained: “I think I had two yards less in the play-off than I did in regulation and a slightly flatter lie, so it was a good number and I just needed to make a good and committed swing.
McIlroy joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as only the sixth man in golf to have won all four majors during their career.
The quest now goes on, with three more majors this season still to play for; the PGA Championship, the US Open and the Open – the latter of which happens to be hosted at McIlroy’s childhood golf course, Royal Portrush.
