Rory McIlroy wins Masters to complete career Grand Slam

McIlroy ends 11-year major drought with emotional Masters victory in sudden-death playoff.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland lifts the trophy after receiving the Green Jacket following his playoff victory in the final round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 13, 2025. Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

In one of the most emotional and dramatic finishes in Masters history, Rory McIlroy wins the Masters and finally completes his long-awaited career Grand Slam. The 35-year-old Northern Irishman delivered a moment of golfing greatness on Sunday, sinking a tense four-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to defeat Justin Rose at Augusta National.

The win ends an agonizing 11-year drought for McIlroy, who had not claimed a major title since 2014. It also marks the first time McIlroy has secured the iconic green jacket, becoming just the sixth player in history to win all four major championships—joining the ranks of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen, and Ben Hogan.

“It feels incredible,” McIlroy said through tears. “This is my 17th time here. I was wondering if it would ever be my time. I’m thrilled and so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion.”

A career-defining moment

From the moment the 2025 Masters began, anticipation swirled around whether McIlroy could finally conquer Augusta. Every year since 2011, the storyline returned: would this be the year Rory claimed the elusive green jacket? Now, after 10 failed attempts to complete the set, Rory McIlroy wins the Masters in a performance defined by resilience, raw emotion, and brilliance under pressure.

The tension peaked at the 72nd hole. Needing a par to win outright, McIlroy landed his approach into a greenside bunker. He blasted out to five feet but missed the par putt, groaning along with the crowd as it veered left of the cup. That misstep set up a sudden-death playoff with Rose, who had carded a brilliant final-round 66 and birdied the 18th in regulation to force extra holes.

The playoff: McIlroy's second chance

Returning to the 18th tee, Rose struck his approach to 15 feet. But McIlroy, seemingly energized by the playoff pressure, landed his second shot four feet from the pin. Rose missed his birdie, tapping in for par.

That left McIlroy with another shot at Masters immortality.

This time, his putt rolled true. As it dropped into the cup, McIlroy fell to his knees on the 18th green, buried his head in his hands, and cried—releasing more than a decade of frustration, expectation, and near-misses.

“I’ve dreamed about that moment for as long as I can remember,” he said. “There was a lot of pent-up emotion that came out on that 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”

Overcoming past heartbreak

For McIlroy, the path to his Masters triumph was filled with heartbreak. Most notably in 2011, when he led entering the final round but imploded with an 80 on Sunday. That loss was devastating, yet it marked the beginning of his transformation into a four-time major winner between 2011 and 2014.

Still, Augusta remained the missing piece.

“I would say it was 14 years in the making,” McIlroy said. “From going out with a four-shot lead in 2011 and feeling I could have done something there.”

The burden of completing the Grand Slam weighed heavily on his shoulders each April. But this year, McIlroy not only carried that weight—he broke free of it.

A rollercoaster Sunday

McIlroy’s final round wasn’t easy. He opened with a double-bogey, surrendering the two-stroke lead he had entering Sunday. That early stumble gave playing partner Bryson DeChambeau a window, and the American briefly took the lead.

But McIlroy quickly responded. With two-shot swings at the third and fourth holes, he stormed back to reclaim a three-shot lead. A birdie at the ninth pushed him four clear at the turn.

Then came the back nine—a wild, unpredictable stretch that saw McIlroy’s lead evaporate and return multiple times.

At the par-five 13th, his third shot found Rae’s Creek, resulting in a double-bogey. He bogeyed the 14th to fall into a tie with Rose, but bounced back with a birdie at 15 and a spectacular two-foot birdie at 17.

Still, the drama wouldn’t end. A bogey at 18 opened the door for Rose, who capitalized. But McIlroy’s playoff nerves held steady—delivering him the moment he’d been chasing for more than a decade.

A green jacket and more

In addition to the coveted green jacket, McIlroy earned a record $4.2 million winner’s prize from a record $21 million Masters purse. It was his third win of the season, having already claimed titles at The Players Championship and the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and his 29th career US PGA Tour victory.

The Masters champion's performance was gritty, emotional, and unforgettable. More than anything, it was a reminder of the talent and tenacity that made him one of golf’s brightest stars.

“It’s the best day of my golfing life,” McIlroy said. “I’m very proud of myself for never giving up and always fighting back.”

What it means for golf

With his Masters triumph, McIlroy joins an elite club of Grand Slam winners. More than that, his victory breathes new life into his career—once again positioning him as one of the defining players of his generation.

For fans, it was a moment worth waiting for. The chants of “Rory! Rory!” echoed across Augusta as the tears flowed and the green jacket was draped on his shoulders.

This wasn’t just a win. It was a coronation years in the making.

Rory McIlroy wins the Masters, and golf has a new—and long-awaited—Grand Slam champion.