Rory Nets Career Grand Slam with Rollercoaster Masters Win

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Rory McIlroy's long, painful wait for the career Grand Slam is finally over.

And the greatest achievement of his career was as nerve-racking and dramatic as the near misses that came before it.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland overcame a shaky start -- and even more perilous finish -- in the final round of the 89th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday to defeat Justin Rose in the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win a green jacket and become only the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam.

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McIlroy joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to capture the four major championships in the Masters era.

"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, yeah, I'm sort of wondering what we're all going to talk about going into next year's Masters."

In the playoff on the par-4 18th, both players hit their tee shots in the fairway. Rose's approach from 187 yards nearly hit the hole on the fly, and his ball bounced 15 feet past. McIlroy's second shot was even better, landing on the slope above the hole with his ball rolling back 4 feet from the cup as the patrons surrounding the green chanted his name.

After taking several minutes to read the putt, Rose's birdie attempt failed to break and stayed right. With a second chance to capture his first green jacket after he missed a 5-footer on the 72nd hole, McIlroy didn't miss again.

McIlroy threw his putter in the air and put his head in his hands. He fell to his knees and wept before hugging his caddie, Harry Diamond. McIlroy found his wife, Erica, and daughter, Poppy, and was still crying as he made the long walk from the 18th green to the clubhouse as thousands of patrons cheered him on.

Later, as McIlroy walked to the practice green for the trophy presentation, he hugged his putting coach, former PGA Tour player Brad Faxon, and told him, "What a roller coaster."

"I would say it was 14 years in the making, from going out with a four-shot lead in 2011, feeling like I could have gotten it done there," McIlroy said. "Yeah, there was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it."

McIlroy thanked his family and team while accepting the trophy just before he slipped on his green jacket.

"They've been on this journey with me the whole way through," McIlroy said. "They know the burden that I've carried to come here every year and try and try and try again."

Woods knows the pressure as well, and the five-time Masters winner congratulated McIlroy on social media.

"Welcome to the club @McIlroyRory," Woods posted to X. "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 did just enough in the final 18 holes to join that exclusive club, posting a 1-over 73 to finish 11 under. Rose, who also finished 11 under, chased him down with a 6-under 66 -- including a 20-foot birdie putt on his 72nd hole -- to force the first playoff at the Masters since 2017.