AUGUSTA, Ga. — Finally, after many attempts, Rory McIlroy won the Masters. He walked up the final fairway twice, each time with a chance to win. He held off several competitors and overcame his own mistakes during a very emotional round of 19 holes. After dropping to his knees and letting his emotions out, he paused near the Augusta National clubhouse.
He had finally reached his biggest goal. Now, there was only one thing left to do. With tears in his eyes and face flushed, he turned to his friends and said what he had waited over ten years to say:
`I have to go get a green jacket.`
On Sunday, the crowd at Augusta was ready to cheer McIlroy`s breakthrough, as he carried the pressure of not winning a major in 11 years. But as he played what he called a roller-coaster round of golf, there were also whispers among the spectators.
`Oh my God,` one person said when McIlroy made a double bogey on the first hole.
`It`s nerves,` said another, as McIlroy lost the lead to Bryson DeChambeau on the second hole.
One spectator covered his face, saying, `He`s doing it again.`
When McIlroy made a double bogey on the 13th hole, putting his ball in Rae`s Creek, followed by a bogey on the 14th, and then a bogey on the last hole after a birdie on 17, it seemed like another missed opportunity on the biggest stage. Even McIlroy thought so.
`There were times on the back nine today when I wondered, “Have I messed it up again?”` McIlroy said. `Today, my fight was with myself, not with anyone else.`
This victory was more than ten years in the making. Past disappointments and close calls had left their mark. It was fitting that it happened this way, where a six-shot lead with eight holes left wasn`t enough, and every shot felt incredibly important, capable of leading to either another loss or finally, relief in a playoff.
`This is the best day of my golfing life,` McIlroy said. `I have truly made my dreams a reality.`
Winning at St. Andrews in 2022 would have been very meaningful. Victory at the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023 would have shown how much his game had improved. Triumph at Pinehurst last year could have been a dramatic end to his major drought.
But none of those wins would have answered the big question: Could McIlroy win at Augusta?
For McIlroy, this tournament is deeply personal, marking his entire golf journey. Memories of watching the Masters with his father when he was only 7 years old came back to him when he spoke earlier in the week and again on Sunday night.
`I think all of that comes back to me,` McIlroy said. `Remembering why I first loved the game.`
In 2007, two years after turning professional, McIlroy played in his first Masters in 2009, finishing tied for 20th. He has played in every Masters since then – 17 in total – experiencing both near wins and disappointments. Over almost two decades, both the world of golf and this important tournament have changed, and so has McIlroy.
The thick, dark, curly hair he had at 19 when he first drove down Magnolia Lane is now gone. McIlroy now has a shorter haircut. His graying hair at the temples shows the years he has spent in golf and reminds us of how many chances he has had to achieve what he finally did on Sunday: complete a career Grand Slam, the highest achievement in the sport.
`I think I`ve carried that pressure since August 2014,` McIlroy said. `It`s been very hard. Today was hard.`
McIlroy spoke at length about the nerves he felt on Sunday. He talked about the pressure, both from himself and from the expectations set by golf legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, who had predicted his Masters win as if it were certain.
However, Sunday`s performance, in all its intensity, showed that McIlroy has never been like Nicklaus or Woods. It`s not that his golf skills are worse, but his path has been like this week, with its double bogeys and unpredictable swings. The highs and lows are as much a part of his story as anything else.
`You have to always be optimistic,` McIlroy said. `I truly believe I am a better player now than I was ten years ago.`
His belief in patience, faith, and resilience in the face of repeated setbacks reached a low point at Pinehurst last year. That loss made his future uncertain and seemed to require a complete restart. McIlroy responded by taking time off, walking around New York City alone, and eventually practicing his swing using a simulator.
A small change in technique, a mental refresh, and a new year brought a better version of McIlroy. He won at Pebble Beach and then at the Players Championship, acknowledging that Scottie Scheffler`s amazing year had motivated him and showing a great mix of control and aggression.
Yet, the question remained, more than ever: Could he win at the Masters? On Sunday, he finally proved that he could. He also showed how much he wanted it.
`This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever happen for me,` McIlroy said. `What you saw from me on the last green in the playoff was at least 11, maybe 14 years of built-up emotion.`
`I got it done.`
In a video released by the PGA Tour earlier on Sunday, McIlroy was asked about his jacket size. He said he wears a 38 or 40 short, depending on his eating habits each week.
`I prefer a more European style,` McIlroy said in the video. `A bit more fitted, a little more tapered and shaped.`
On Sunday, Scheffler helped McIlroy put on the green jacket. It was a size 38 regular, a little large and not yet tailored to McIlroy`s exact preferences. But as he felt the wool fabric on his shoulders, McIlroy closed his eyes, raised his hands, and looked up to the sky.
The fit didn`t need to be perfect; everything else already was.
