AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy finally donned the elusive green jacket and completed golf’s career Grand Slam on Sunday, sinking a dramatic four-foot birdie putt in a sudden-death playoff to defeat Justin Rose at the 2025 Masters Tournament.
The emotional victory snapped an 11-year major championship drought for the 35-year-old Northern Irishman, who had failed in 10 previous attempts to win at Augusta National Golf Club.
“It feels incredible,” McIlroy said. “This is my 17th time here. I was wondering if it would ever be my time. I’m thrilled and so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion.”
McIlroy joined legends Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen, and Ben Hogan as the only golfers in history to win all four majors: the Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship.
“The last 10 years coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders… I’m sort of wondering what we’re all going to talk about going into next year’s Masters,” McIlroy added.
McIlroy nearly won it in regulation but missed a five-foot par putt on the 72nd hole after finding a greenside bunker, forcing a playoff as the crowd groaned in disbelief.
“My battle today was with myself,” he said. “How I responded to setbacks, that’s what I’ll take from this week.”
In the playoff at the par-4 18th, Rose’s approach landed 15 feet from the hole, while McIlroy stuck his second shot to just four feet.
After Rose missed his birdie attempt, McIlroy calmly rolled in the winner, dropped to his knees, buried his head into the green, and wept as years of frustration melted away.
“I’ve dreamed about that moment for as long as I can remember,” he said, later embracing his caddie, Harry Diamond, wife Erica, and daughter Poppy in a wave of tears and triumph.
“There was a lot of pent-up emotion that came out on that 18th green,” he said. “A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”
McIlroy reflected on his infamous collapse in 2011, when he led by four heading into Sunday but shot 80.
“I would say it was 14 years in the making,” McIlroy said. “From going out with a four-shot lead in 2011 and feeling I could have done something there.”
He fired a final-round 73 to finish at 11-under-par 277, tied with Rose, who carded a 66 with six birdies over his final eight holes.
The win earned McIlroy PHP 239 million (USD 4.2 million), the largest prize in Masters history from a record PHP 1.2 billion (USD 21 million) purse.
Despite a roller-coaster back nine that included a double-bogey at the par-5 13th and a bogey on 14, McIlroy rallied with birdies at 15 and 17 before his regulation miss at 18.
Rose, who forced the playoff with a 20-foot birdie at 18, was gracious in defeat after an epic duel.
“It was one of the great battles,” said Rose, who was seeking his second career major. “Rory earned that moment.”
With the victory, McIlroy collected his third title of the season, adding to wins at The Players Championship and Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and now owns 29 career PGA Tour victories.
“It’s the best day of my golfing life,” McIlroy said. “I’m very proud of myself for never giving up and always fighting back.”
