Rory McIlroy finally lifted his Masters hoodoo to become only the sixth golfer in history to complete a career Grand Slam after a nail-biting play-off with Justin Rose.
In a pulsating final round at Augusta National, McIlroy missed a putt on the 18th to win the title in regulation, before eventually getting his hands on the coveted green jacket via a sudden-death shootout.
McIlroy had earlier managed to wrestle back control after surrendering an overnight two-shot lead, only to blow a four-stroke advantage across his closing six holes.
But in the first additional hole in Georgia, McIlroy displayed nerves of steel to roll in a birdie from three feet, denying Rose what would have been a first major title in 12 years.
McIlroy’s triumph sees him become only the sixth player to complete a modern career Grand Slam, following in the footsteps of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods before him.
The victory also banishes McIlroy’s painful memories from the 2011 Masters, when he led for the most part before capitulating in the final round.
Heading into Sunday’s climax, Bryson DeChambeau sat just two shots off the lead and warned McIlroy that he was ‘not going to back down’ while he was still nipping at his heels.
But the American suffered a spectacular collapse and dropped out of contention across the decisive 18 holes, finishing down in fifth – tied with Sung-Jae Im – on -7.
McIlroy threatened to let another Masters victory slip through his fingers as he fumbled a five-stroke advantage to allow Rose to draw level on -11, with the latter making a stunning 20-foot birdie on the 18th.
The Northern Irishman regained his composure to take a one-stroke lead into the 18th, only to bogey the hole after missing a five-foot putt which would have secured the crown.
However, McIlroy prevailed at the second time of asking in a tense play-off, holding his nerve to claim a famous victory after his Ryder Cup team-mate had made par. The 35-year-old instinctively dropped to his knees and burst into tears before celebrating the moment of history with his loved ones.
‘It feels incredible. This is my 17th time here and I was starting to wonder if it would ever be my time,’ McIlroy said before he was presented with the green jacket by the 2024 champion Scottie Scheffler.
‘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 be talking 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 said he was immensely ‘proud’ of the way in which he managed to respond to various setbacks across the rounds.
‘When I hit the wedge shot into the creek on the 13th, I felt like I did a really good job of bouncing back from that and the double-bogey at the first as well,’ he added.
‘I was really nervous and it was almost as if the double-bogey at the first calmed my nerves a little bit in a funny way.
‘I just think, all week, how I responded to setbacks, that’s what I’ll take from this week and I couldn’t be more proud of myself for that and being able to bounce back when I needed to.’
An emotional McIlroy couldn’t hold back the tears as he paid tribute to his parents for the ‘sacrifices’ they had made throughout their lives to help him his fulfil his ambitions in the sport.
‘I think it was 14 years in the making, from going out out with the four-shot lead in 2011 and feeling like I could have got it done there,’ he continued.
‘There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green.
‘But a moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it and I want to say hello to my mum and dad. They’re back home in Northern Ireland.
‘They did [make a lot of sacrifices] and I can’t wait to see them next week. I just can’t wait to celebrate this with them.’
Rory McIlroy breaks down in tears in emotional tribute to parents after historic Masters victory
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