Rory McIlroy realised a dream by winning the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam with the Northern Irishman keen to go and receive the Green Jacket that he’d earned
Rory McIlroy embraced those closest to him after claiming Masters victory before taking a moment and telling them: “I gotta go get a green jacket.” Cheers immediately broke out from those who had roared on the Northern Irishman to the Grand Slam.
Golfing history was made at Augusta National as McIlroy saw off Justin Rose in a play-off to become just the fourth man to win every major available. He is only the second in the past half a century, following in the footsteps of Tiger Woods.
McIlroy had endured numerous moments of heartbreak during his Masters career but finally scaled the mountain and, as the emotion poured out, the World No.2 put his head into his hands before waltzing off to go and claim the jacket that he had craved so badly.
He admitted in the aftermath of a chaotic final round: “I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. The past 10 years [I’ve been] coming with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that. I am so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion. It’s been very difficult. And not just about winning my next major, but the career Grand Slam.”
McIlroy’s victory at the Masters was his fifth Major triumph but came 11 years after his fourth, which was secured at the US PGA Championship. His desire to complete the Grand Slam had become a talking point every April when he headed to Augusta.
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Prior to Sunday’s drama McIlroy’s best effort at the Masters was second place, which he achieved in 2022, but his career at Augusta had been defined by near misses and setbacks, dating back to his final round meltdown in 2011 when he surrendered the lead.
Those demons were put to bed as the Northern Irishman beat Justin Rose in a play-off, which came after he made bogey on his final hole. McIlroy had made his task all the more challenging by holing double bogeys on the opening hole and then again on the 13th.
“I was really nervous going out. It was almost as if the double bogey [at the first] calmed my nerves a little bit and got me into it,” said McIlroy. “All week I responded to setbacks and that’s what I’ll remember. I’m so proud of that and being able to bounce back.”
The Nortern Irishman then joked that there would have to be a new narrative when the Masters rolls around after his quest for the Grand Slam was complete.”What are we all going to talk about next year?” he said with a smile.
“It’s a dream come true. I have dreamt about that moment for as long as I can remember. Watching Tiger Woods in 1997, and then winning his first Green Jacket, I think that inspired so many of my generation to want to emulate what he did.” Woods was among those to congratulate McIlroy on social media, as did Jack Nicklaus, another member of the Grand Slam club.
