AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Rory McIIroy of Northern Ireland has completed the career Grand Slam by winning the 89th Masters Tournament in playoff over Justin Rose of England.
It was a rollercoaster day for McIlroy, who entered Sunday with a three-shot lead, built it to five on the second nine, but fell from the top of the leader board after playing No. 13 and No. 14 in +3. After the “shot of a lifetime” at No. 15, as commentator Jim Nantz described on the CBS broadcast, McIlroy birdied to reclaim the lead.
So wild was this Sunday at Augusta National that McIlroy set a Masters record as the first champion to make four double bogeys — two in the first round that put him seven shots behind, two in the final round that turned this into a thriller.
He took a one-shot lead to No. 18, but bogey at the last set up the playoff with Rose. On the first playoff hole, Rose hit his approach to ten feet, but McIlroy bested him and hit the birdie putt to win.
As chants of “Rory! Rory! echoed through the Georgia pines, McIlroy collapsed into tears on the green before standing up and celebrating.
“My dreams have been made today,” McIlroy said during the trophy presentation.
After he became the sixth golfer to achieve a career Grand Slam, McIlroy’s victory at Augusta National was celebrated throughout Northern Ireland and Ireland.
“He has given us one of Northern Ireland’s biggest sporting achievements,” Emma Little-Pengelly, the country’s deputy first minister, posted on X. “He will undoubtedly get a deserved hero’s welcome when he comes home. The reception when he steps onto the first tee at Royal Portrush in July will be incredible. Hopefully he can give the home fans plenty to cheer as he bids to win a second Open Championship.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.