AUGUSTA, Ga. — Ultimately, after Rory McIlroy twice approached the final fairway with a Masters victory within reach, successfully navigating challenges from competitors and overcoming his own errors during a deeply emotional 19 holes, and after he knelt in elation, allowing his feelings to overwhelm him, he paused near the Augusta National clubhouse.
He had at last scaled his personal Everest. Only one task remained. With flushed face and tearful eyes, he turned to his companions and spoke the words he had longed to utter for more than a decade:
`I need to go and get myself a green jacket.`
On Sunday, under the weight of an 11-year major championship drought, Augusta’s enthusiastic cheers were ready to celebrate McIlroy’s breakthrough. However, as he progressed through what he described as a rollercoaster of a round, doubtful murmurs also circulated among the spectators.
`Oh my God,` one spectator exclaimed when McIlroy recorded a double bogey on the first hole.
`It’s just nerves,` another commented, as McIlroy conceded the lead to Bryson DeChambeau on the second hole.
One patron covered his face in disbelief: `He’s repeating past mistakes.`
When McIlroy double-bogeyed the 13th hole, sending his ball into Rae’s Creek, followed by another bogey on the 14th, and then offsetting a birdie on 17 with a bogey on the final hole, it appeared to be a familiar narrative: another golden opportunity lost on the grandest stage. Even McIlroy himself momentarily believed this.
`There were moments during the back nine today when I questioned, “Have I let victory slip away again?”` McIlroy admitted. `My primary battle today was internal. It wasn`t against any other player.`
This achievement was over a decade in the making. While past near-misses and disappointments were behind him, the psychological impact remained, lingering between triumph and defeat. It was perhaps fitting that his victory unfolded in this manner—a six-shot lead with eight holes remaining proved insufficient, each subsequent shot felt laden with immense pressure, capable of either relegating him to yet another loss, or ultimately, here in a playoff, bringing him relief.
`This is unequivocally the greatest day of my golfing career,` McIlroy declared. `I have genuinely realized my lifelong aspirations.`
A victory at St. Andrews in 2022 would have been richly symbolic. Winning the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023 would have served as concrete evidence of his game`s progression. A triumph at Pinehurst the previous year could have provided an epic conclusion to his major drought.
Yet, none of these potential victories would have resolved the persistent question: Could McIlroy triumph at Augusta?
For McIlroy, this tournament carries profound personal significance, deeply intertwined with his golfing journey. Memories of watching the Masters as a 7-year-old with his father flooded his mind when speaking on Tuesday and again on Sunday evening.
`I believe all of that comes full circle,` McIlroy reflected. `It reminds me of the initial spark of passion for the game.`
Two years after turning professional in 2007, McIlroy made his Masters debut in 2009, finishing tied for 20th. He has participated in every tournament since—a total of 17—experiencing both close calls and underwhelming performances. Over nearly two decades, the landscape of golf and its premier tournament has evolved, and so has McIlroy.
Gone is the voluminous, dark, curly hair that framed his youthful face at 19 as he first drove down Magnolia Lane. McIlroy now sports a more refined haircut. The passage of time is evident in his graying temples, a testament to his long tenure in the sport and a reminder of the numerous opportunities he’s had to achieve what he finally accomplished on Sunday: completing the career Grand Slam, the pinnacle of golf.
`I feel like I’ve been carrying this weight since August 2014,` McIlroy confessed. `It`s incredibly challenging. Today was particularly tough.`
McIlroy spoke extensively about the anxiety he battled throughout Sunday`s round. He discussed the pressure, both self-imposed and generated by the expectations of legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, who had predicted his Masters victory as if it were a certainty.
However, Sunday’s dramatic performance reaffirmed that McIlroy’s path is distinct from those of Nicklaus or Woods. This isn’t to suggest McIlroy`s skill is inferior, but rather that his journey, much like the unpredictable nature of this week with its four double bogeys and erratic swings, is characterized by both highs and lows, integral to his narrative.
`You must maintain eternal optimism,` McIlroy asserted. `I genuinely believe I am a superior player now compared to a decade ago.`
His commitment to patience, belief, and resilience in the face of repeated setbacks reached a low point at Pinehurst the previous year. That defeat cast uncertainty over McIlroy’s immediate career trajectory, necessitating what seemed like a significant reset. McIlroy responded by taking time off, exploring New York City alone, and eventually returning to practice his swing in a simulator.
A technical adjustment, mental rejuvenation, and a new year ushered in a refined version of McIlroy. He secured victories at Pebble Beach and then at the Players Championship, acknowledging Scottie Scheffler’s dominant year as a motivator and demonstrating a remarkable blend of control and aggression.
And yet, the fundamental question persisted, more pressing than ever: Could he achieve this at the Masters? On Sunday, he delivered the long-awaited affirmation. He also demonstrated the depth of his desire.
`This is my 17th appearance here, and I was beginning to question if my moment would ever arrive,` McIlroy shared. `The emotions that surfaced on the final green in the playoff were the culmination of at least 11, if not 14 years, of suppressed feelings.`
`I accomplished what I set out to do.`
In a video released by the PGA Tour earlier on Sunday, McIlroy was asked about his jacket size. He mentioned he wears a 38 or 40 short, depending on his weekly eating habits.
`I prefer a slightly more European style,` McIlroy explained in the video. `A bit more fitted, a little more tapered and trim.`
On Sunday, Scheffler assisted McIlroy in donning the green jacket. The size was a 38 regular, slightly loose and not yet tailored to McIlroy’s preferred fit. But as the wool fabric enveloped his shoulders, McIlroy closed his eyes, raised his hands, and looked upwards.
The fit didn’t need to be perfect; everything else already was.