A playoff was needed to crown the Northern Irish man of golf’s rarest accolade
Rory McIlroy’s major drought is finally over. Sunday August 10th, 2014 – Sunday April 13th, 2025, just a mere 3,900 days in between. A full decade of twists and turns between his Valhalla conquest and Augusta glory. So much agony had passed by like a river of bitterness and shortcomings. However, in the culmination of one of the greatest Masters Tournament’s we have ever seen; the fairytale finally gave us a happy ending we waited years for.
It’s never easy following Rory, and Sunday was far from a cakewalk. Starting with a two shot lead, Rory made six birdies, three bogeys and two doubles; and it took a sudden-death playoff to separate McIlroy and his Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose, the bolter of the chasing pack.
McIlroy’s round started in disastrous fashion. Two narrowly miscued drives saw him start with a double bogey on 1 and just a par on the scorable 2nd; but he responded. Birdies on 3 and 4 helped him find that swagger. However, swing issues lingered and when Rory made birdie threes on either side of the turn; it felt like there was a Shane Lowry-like procession ready to happen. Then came the drama.
A slip-up bogey on the tricky 11th despite a lucky roll was frustrating, but, onto the next, where he made par at 12. He laid up short of the green on 13 with the tournament in his hands. A flick of the wedge to the fat part of the green. A flick of a wedge… splash! As his Taylormade ball found the bottom of Raes Creek, the resurgent County Down native started to look human again.
He followed that mistake with another hiccup, and bogey, on 14. From cruise control to chasing pack. Now Justin Rose was the solo leader on -11, with McIlroy and Swede Ludvig Åberg now one adrift. When McIlroy’s booming 333 yard drive on the important scoring hole of the par five 15th found itself behind a tree, it felt over. Then came the shot of a lifetime.
With the weight of history hanging off his shoulders and all the turmoil to keep him grounded, Rory unleashed a shot to the heavens, from the gods. A slinging hook to 6 feet teed up an important birdie there, with a go ahead birdie to follow at 17. Yet, as has been the case all day, more drama would follow.
A confident tee shot down the left fairway looked like part one of the closing chapter, but then came a costly error. Yet again a flick of a wedge became a splash to the heart, and of the white sandy bunker right of the green. The recovery shot was good, but the ensuing putt was not good enough and onto a playoff we went, replaying the cinematic 18th.
The man he would face was the leader of the contenders, Justin Rose, and he needed no introduction. A major winner in 2013 at the US Open, the Englishman was also playing with the scars of a playoff loss at Augusta in 2017. His stellar final round included ten birdies as he became the primary challenger when Bryson DeChambeau (+3) failed to inspire.
Both players striped their drives down the 18th fairway in additional holes, with Rose leading the charge. Rory followed suit, stiffing a wedge closer this time; putting the pressure back on the more experienced competitor. Rose’s putt for glory glided by, and despite a knee-tickler that was eerily similar to last year at Pinehurst; there would be no mistake from McIlroy. Then came the raw emotion.
Tears, roars, hugs and kisses from the main man; and a serenading celebration from Augusta’s patrons. So often the poster child of the post-Tiger era of the game of golf, this felt like a victory for everyone. For the hardcore fans and lip-llicking doubters; friends and family to rivals and enemies. After an enthralling contest that you couldn’t take your eyes off, this was a win for the man, and for the island of Ireland.
When all is said and done, and Rory’s name becomes comfortable in the pantheon of greats, there will be time for perspective. To reflect on the losses alongside the wins, the importance of family and friends in that journey is one thing; but this was one of Ireland’s greatest ever athletes achieving a lifelong dream. The chipping sensation on the BBC all those years ago would be proud of his future self, and I’m sure Rosie and Gerry McIlroy, wife Erica and daughter Poppy, best friend and caddy Harry Diamond and all the team would be proud of him too.
And Ireland is proud of one of its greatest sons. For this was one of Irish sport’s greatest ever nights.