Tearful Rory McIlroy instantly makes 90 year Masters history to join golf's most elite club and exorcise Augusta demons | talkSPORT

Rory McIlroy is finally a Masters champion and becomes one of only six players to complete golf’s career Grand Slam after the most dramatic of final rounds.

For the last ten years, McIlroy has arrived at Augusta one Green Jacket short of completing the major set - but his long wait for a major of any kind is finally over after edging out Justin Rose in a sudden death playoff.

It was an emotional moment as winning the major McIlroy had dreamed about as a child sunk in on an extraordinary final dayCredit: Getty

It was an extraordinary ending at AugustaCredit: Getty

As ever, he did things the hard way, blowing the overnight lead, a four-shot lead standing on the 11th tee and then a missed putt on the 72nd hole to send the tournament to its first play-off since 2017.

On that occasion Sergio Garcia edged out Rose, and when the Englishman missed his putt on Sunday evening the way was clear for McIlroy to not pass up a second chance.

He buried his two foot putt, to collapse to the floor in tears and then let out a huge sigh of relief as all the years of pressure were released in an instant.

Rose was left an agonising Masters runner-up for the third time in his career.

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Victory, on his 17th appearance at Augusta at the 89th Masters, means McIlroy takes home the prestigious Green Jacket and a host of champions privileges, but most significantly he joins the elitist of elite golfing company.

Only Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Gene Sarazan, Jack Nicklaus and McIlroy's idol Tiger Woods had previously achieved the career Grand Slam.

McIlroy is only the second man to complete the set in the iconic surroundings of Augusta National - Gene Sarazon achieving the feat in 1935 - and he is the first from Europe to win all four majors.

"It feels incredible," he said afterwards before being presented with the green jacket by 2024 champion Scottie Scheffler. "This is my 17th time here and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time.

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"The last 10 years coming here with the burden of the grand slam on my shoulder and trying to achieve it, I wonder what we're going to talk about going into next year.

"I'm absolutely honoured, thrilled and proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion."

Masters Leaderboard

After final round

-11 Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy
McIlroy wins on 1st play-off hole
-9 Patrick Reed
-8 Scottie Scheffler
-7 Sung-jae Im, Bryson DeChambeau

A first Masters win was celebrated with his wife, Erica Stoll and their daughter, PoppyCredit: Getty

It was a day of stunning drama that started with McIlroy losing the lead on the second hole, he then bounced back to lead by four standing on the 11th tee - only to blow that advantage in scenes eerily similar to his meltdown as a 21-year–old in 2011.

"It was 14 years in the making, from having a four-shot lead (after three rounds) in 2011," he reflected.

"There was a lot of pent up emotion that came out on the 18th green and a moment like that makes all the years and close calls worth it."

McIlroy had to fight back tears as he was asked about the sacrifices his parents Gerry and Rosie made during the early part of his career.

"I want to say hello to my mum and dad, they're back in Northern Ireland and I can't wait to celebrate this next week with them."

As well as his ability to bounce back from setbacks his iron play has been spectacular all week.

His approaches on 15 and 17 gave him two final birdies and the chance to secure his place in the pantheon of golf's greats.

The shot of his life on 15 swept and swung from 208 yards and under the under the trees, to land within six feet. The eagle putt didn’t drop, but a tap-in birdie took him back into the lead at -11.

Ahead of him Rose was putting the finishing touches to a glittering round of 66, that featured ten birdies including a 20-footer on the 18th green set the clubhouse target.

With Bryson DeChambeau falling away dramatically after finding the water for a double bogey six on 11 it was the European Ryder Cup stalwarts left to duke it out.

DeChambeau's challenge for a first Masters faltered after a bright start

McIlroy sunk a second birdie putt in three holes after sticking another brilliant iron to two feet on the penultimate green.

There was time for more drama as he found the bunker on 17, splashed out to four feet and missed his first attempt to clinch the title. But he made no mistake in the play-off.

After a birdie on the 17th had seen him regain the lead, McIlroy bogeyed the 18th and thanked the intervention of his caddie, Harry Diamond, before the play-off.

"After scoring, Harry and I were walking to the golf cart to bring us back to the 18th tee, and he said to me, 'Well, pal, we would have taken this on Monday morning,'" McIlroy said.

"I'm like, 'Yeah, absolutely we would have'. That was an easy reset. I just kept telling myself, just make the same swing you made in regulation. And I hit a great drive up there and the rest is history.

"I had two yards less in the play-off than regulation and a flatter lie as well. It was a good number, just needed a committed swing and made one at the right time."

All Time Men's Major Winners

18 - Jack Nicklaus
15 - Tiger Woods
11 - Walter Hagen
9 - Ben Hogan, Gary Player
8 - Tom Watson
7 - Harry Vardon, Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer
6 - Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo, Phil Mickelson
5 - James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Byron Nelson, Peter Thomson, Seve Ballesteros, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy

*bold completed career Grand Slam

McIlroy threatened to squander a five-shot lead with eight holes to play but produced some of the best golf of his career to hold his nerveCredit: Getty

After a birdie on the 17th saw him regain the lead, McIlroy bogeyed the 18th and hailed the intervention of his caddie, Harry Diamond, before the play-offCredit: Getty

Donning the green jacket is a moment McIlroy had dreamed of for a long time and the delight was obviousCredit: Getty

McIlroy is the first European player to have won all four of golf's majors, joining an elite club that includes Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger WoodsCredit: Getty

McIlroy now sits alongside 15-time major champion Woods - who achieved the feat in 2010 - as the only player in the last 59 years to win the career Grand Slam, while he is the first man from Ireland to win the Masters.

It has always seemed barely believable that he has not added to his major tally in the 38 editions he has played since winning the PGA Championship at Valhalla in 2014.

That gave him four in a three year stretch, but near misses and final day charges have followed as he fallen short and started slowly in the decade that has passed.

However his 72 blows on Sunday, were a microcosm of his career to date with drama at every turn, closely followed by moments of weakness and brilliance in equal supply.

It's what makes McIlroy arguably the most popular player in the game - and now one of it's all-time greats.

With his fifth major triumph on Sunday evening he moves level with six other players - including two-time Masters champion and European Ryder Cup hero Seve Ballesteros - in the all-time list.

McIlroy's Majors

Rory McIlroy's Grand Slam

2025 - Masters (Augusta)
2014 - PGA Championship (Valhalla)
2014 - Open Championship (St Andrews)
2012 - PGA Championship (Kiawah Island)
2011 - U.S. Open (Congressional)

Woods was among many to congratulate McIlroy and was able to welcome him to golf's most exclusive club.

He wrote on social media: "Completing the grand slam at Augusta is something special. Your determination during this round, and this entire journey has shown through, and now you're a part of history. Proud of you!"

McIlroy's close friend Shane Lowry joked that McIlroy could happily retire after completing the career grand slam.

"This means everything to him," Lowry said.

"This is all he thinks about, all he talks about. He always said to me he'd retire a happy man if he won the green jacket, so I told Erica he can retire now.

"He's had a long 10, 11 years, he's had a lot of hurdles to get over and it's a credit to him."

McIlroy recovered from an opening 72 with back-to-back rounds of 66 to take a two-shot lead into the final round where he held off the challenge of Justin Rose in nail biting finishCredit: Getty

Woods, a player McIlroy looked up to, was among the first to congratulate himCredit: IG @tigerwoods

Rose, meanwhile, was gracious in defeat, posting a congratulatory message on X to completing the grand slam, writing it was 'very cool sharing the green with you in that moment'.

Rose has now lost the last two play-offs in the Masters after being beaten by Sergio Garcia in 2017. "I really didn't look at a leaderboard all day until the 18th green and realised I needed to make that putt to kind of give myself some hope," he said.

"It's the kind of putt you dream about as a kid, and to have it and hole it, it was a special feeling. Unfortunately, the play-off, they always end so quickly. That's sudden death.

"If you're not the guy to hit the great shot or hole the great putt, it's over. But not really anything I could have done more today."

Last year, three bogies in his final four holes at Pinehurst handed DeChambeau his second U.S. Open and prompted McIlroy to claim you have to want to get your heartbroken.