Rory McIlroy releases years of frustration and bottled-up emotion with Masters championship

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy checked a lot of boxes with his emotional victory at the Masters on Sunday.

First green jacket? Check.

Career Grand Slam? Check.

Vindication from his 1994 Masters meltdown? Check.

Payback for his collapse at the 2024 U.S. Open — and sweet revenge over Bryson DeChambeau? Double check.

But it wasn’t until he firmed in a three-footer for birdie on the first playoff hole that all the years of frustration and bottled-up emotion were allowed to come boiling out. It was only then that McIlroy could toss his putter over his head, fall to his knees on the 18th green and bury his face in his hands in a combination of relief and celebration.

“It was all relief,” McIlroy said. “There wasn’t much joy in that reaction. It was all relief. And then the joy came pretty soon after that. But I’ve been coming here 17 years and it was a decade-plus of emotion that came out of me.”

McIlroy shot an uneven 73 to finish tied with Justin Rose at 11-under 277 when he produced one of his most clutch shots of the day on the first hole of the playoff. A gap wedge checked up on the 18th green and drew back to within three feet, which he made with no hesitation.

“This is my 17th time here and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” McIlroy said. “I think the last 10 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 going to talk about going into next year’s Masters.

After the putt fell, the next 15 minutes was a series of tears and howls and hugs — first with caddie Harry Diamond, who he first met on the putting green at Holywood Golf Club in Northern Ireland when he was 7, and then with wife, Erica Stoll, and their daughter Poppy. On the 200-yard walk to the scoring area he exchanged emotional greetings and hugs with Augusta National club members, other PGA Tour pals like Shane Lowry, business associates and family members.

“Today was difficult,” McIlroy said. “I was unbelievably nervous this morning. Look, it was a heavy weight to carry and thankfully now I don’t have to carry it and it frees me up and I know I’m coming back here every year, which is lovely.”

He became only the sixth professional player — and the first European — to win the career Grand Slam, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

It wasn’t easy. McIlroy started with a two-shot lead that he surrendered after a double bogey on the opening hole. He led by as many as four shots when he reached 14 under with a birdie at the 10th hole.

A bogey at 11, a double bogey at 13 — his fourth of the week — and a bogey at 14 dropped his score to 10 under and allowed Rose to take the lead when he birdied 17. McIlroy regained the lead at 17 when he ran his approach up the front face of the green — all the while shouting “go, go, go” — to set up a 3-foot birdie putt.

On the 72nd hole McIlroy’s tournament-winning 5-footer for par missed left and forced extra holes.

“It was a complete roller coaster of a day,” he said. “I don’t know if any Masters champion has had four doubles … maybe I’m the first.”

A note from a former champion

When Rory McIlroy arrived at the course Sunday, he discovered a handwritten note of encouragement from 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera. It was significant because Cabrera was McIlroy’s playing partner in 2011 when McIlroy took a four-shot lead into the final round and shot 80.

“It was a nice touch and a bit ironic at the same time,” McIlroy said. “It’s been 14 long years, but thankfully I got the job done.”

Another close call for Rose

Justin Rose’s 66 was the low round of the day, and it was enough to get him into a playoff with Rory McIlroy. But Rose failed to match McIlroy’s birdie on the first playoff hole and suffered his second playoff loss at the Masters. He was beaten by Sergio Garcia in a playoff in 2017.

“Definitely I’m proud of myself,” said Rose, 44, who was trying to become the second oldest Masters champion. “Hitting the right shots at the right time. I hit a lot of quality shots under pressure and felt like I was getting stronger and stronger as the round was going on. But disappoint, I think to lose in a playoff for the second time kind of makes you realize just how close you’ve been.”

DeChambeau’s disappointing finish

Defending U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau birdied three of the last four holes Saturday to get in the final pairing and set up a head-to-head matchup with Rory McIlroy. He took the lead after making an eagle, while McIlroy started with a double bogey and a bogey.

But the rest of the day proved to be a series of disappointments for DeChambeau, who finished with a 75 and tied for fifth place. The momentum began to swing at No. 3, the short par-3, where he made bogey after knocking his first putt nine feet past the hole.

“I was feeling awesome. Felt in control,” DeChambeau said. “What’s crazy is the third hole. Hit it up there to 20 feet. That’s exactly the way I wanted to play the hole and that putt, I’ve never seen a putt faster than that. I didn’t realize how firm and fast it could get out there.”

Defending champion makes some noise

It was too little and too late, but defending champion Scottie Scheffler turned in a 3-under 69 on Sunday and finished fourth. He was trying to become the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.

Homa looks like his former self

Maybe it’s the pimento cheese sandwiches, but Max Homa may have found his game at Augusta National. He closed Sunday with a 71 — his third consecutive under-par round — and finished tied for 12th at 284.

In eight events this season, Homa has missed the cut six times, withdrew after the first round and had a best finish of T53.

Got plans for 2026, Mr. English

University of Georgia graduate Harris English shot 68 to tie for 12th and guarantee his spot in the 2025 Masters that goes to the top 12 finishers. Runner-up Justin Rose, Sungjae Im, Bryson DeChambeau, Ludvig Aberg, Xander Schauffele, Jason Day, Max Homa and Corey Conners can go ahead and reserve their rental homes again for next year. Former champions Patrick Reed, Zach Johnson and Scottie Scheffler also finished in the top 12 but hold a lifetime exemption.

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