Rory McIlroy Wins The Masters In Playoff To Complete Career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy completed an astonishing final round at The Masters by making birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Justin Rose and wrap up the career Grand Slam.

In true McIlroy fashion, the journey to the finish line was both as heroic as it was agonizing to watch for his fans, with the overnight leader recording a one-over 73 on Sunday via six birdies, two double-bogeys and three bogeys in regulation - the last of which arrived on the 72nd hole when a par would have been enough to win by one.

With the predicted challenge of his great rival, Bryson DeChambeau fizzling out fairly early on, it was all in McIlroy's hands for the majority of Sunday's play - despite the Northern Irishman making a handful of significant errors at key times, consequently threatening to derail the coronation of a modern legend.

From a position of four in front at the turn to one behind stood on the 15th tee, McIlroy went from potentially coasting home to watching the one prize he desired above any other look as though it would slip through his fingers.

Yet, a Hollywood shot from the Holywood man on the par-5 15th went some way to helping the player who had been labelled a four-time Major winner for over a decade add one more at long last.

McIlroy's fifth Major almost failed to materialize earlier on Sunday, however, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of England's Rose - who had led The Masters after rounds one and two.

Rose shot a six-under 66, with half-a-dozen birdies on his back nine alone and 10 for the day in total, to set the clubhouse lead on 11-under-par. The 44-year-old - beaten by Sergio Garcia in a playoff eight years ago - was soon to feel the bitter sting of defeat once more, though.

McIlroy had waited 11 long years to put himself within touching distance of joining the famous five and was not going to let it go without a fight. Tied with Rose at 11-under with two holes to play, the World No.2 stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park, drawing an inch-perfect 7-iron into the 17th green and giving himself a kick-in birdie which re-established McIlroy's lead.

However, the drama was far from over after another mistake from the Northern Irishman. A perfect drive down the 18th was followed by a pushed approach into the right green-side bunker, but a delightful splash out presented McIlroy with a moment he had dreamed of since he could walk.

Stood over the five-foot putt, McIlroy's heart must have been thumping out of his chest as he likely tried to push away all the thoughts of what the moment meant. Whatever was in his brain, McIlroy's body betrayed him at the worst possible time, pulling his putt just left of the hole.

The 35-year-old has, for years, been held in the highest regard among fans, patrons and pundits alike and was apparently destined to join that illustrious group of five other career Grand Slam winners before suffering several near misses in the aftermath of securing victories at The Open, the US Open and twice at the PGA Championship between 2011 and 2014.

Given a second chance to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tiger Woods in the playoff, McIlroy was never going to miss out again. Another cookie-cutter drive down the 18th was, this time, followed up by a sublime wedge which left his ball less than four feet out from the hole.

Once Rose had narrowly missed his own birdie putt and tapped in for par, McIlroy successfully clinched the moment he had been dreaming of since he could walk. As soon as the ball disappeared, McIlroy instantly sank to his knees as every ounce of emotion flooded out of him, sobbing into the piece of perfectly-manicured turf on which he had just made himself immortal.

Reflecting on his victory, McIlroy admitted chasing the career Grand Slam had been a burden on him over the years but was honored to finally call himself a Masters champion.

Speaking to Fred Ridley and Jim Nantz in the Butler Cabin, McIlroy said: "It feels incredible. This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time.

"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!

"But I'm just absolutely honored and thrilled and just so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion."

HOW RORY MCILROY WON THE MASTERS

When McIlroy went to sleep on Saturday night, he may well have endured nightmares about double-bogeying the first and losing his two-stroke lead straight away. Unfortunately for the 35-year-old, that was exactly what would occur in the cold light of day.

Having found the right fairway bunker off the tee, McIlroy wedged out and chipped onto the back of green prior to a three-putt which set him right back.

McIlroy of a few years ago - maybe even 12 months ago - might have began to panic, but not the player who has openly admitted he has tried to be more like World No.1, Scottie Scheffler with his play.

The man who would later receive the Green Jacket from Scheffler explained afterwards that, curiously, that opening double almost calmed him down and allowed McIlroy to refocus his mind.

He said: "I was really nervous going out. It was almost as if the double bogey at the 1st calmed my nerves a little bit and sort of got me into it in a funny way.

"I just think all week how I responded to setbacks, I think that's what I'll take from this week. Couldn't be more proud I myself for that and being able to back bounce when I needed to."

A solid par five at two was followed by brilliant birdies at both three and four as DeChambeau went in the opposite direction via some wayward approach shots.

From there, McIlroy truly settled down and plotted his way through the front nine - helped by a couple of timely par saves. He made the turn in 35 thanks to a perfect birdie at the short par-4 and then extended his advantage to four courtesy of another gain at the 10th, produced via a short iron from 185 yards to 15 feet.

But it was from the 11th that the reality of McIlroy's situation may have begun to dawn on him, with a rollercoaster run kicked off by a bogey five which - had his second shot trickled a yard further into the pond - could have been far worse. Having welcomed a timely drop of luck, McIlroy's lukewarm putter cost him a stroke.

Although the five-time Major winner walked away from the par-3 12th with a comfortable par, Amen Corner was not going to let this year's Masters champion away without a little roughing up.

McIlroy made eagle at the par-5 13th on Saturday thanks to a stunning approach, but that would not be the case 24 hours later after he drove his ball out of position down the right.

Opting to lay up and open up the angle for an easier chip, the 44-time pro winner produced a woeful shot with his wedge which slid off into Rae's Creek, leaving him with a double-bogey seven at a time where Rose was ripping it up just ahead. Another bogey followed at 14, and suddenly the narrative was pointing towards McIlroy's Ryder Cup teammate.

Yet, equipped with a new fortified mindset, McIlroy bounced back once more. A world-class approach into the par-5 15th - swept high from right to left - bounced onto the green and trundled over towards the hole, sending the patrons into a frenzy.

Birdies at 15 and 17 put McIlroy in exactly the position he would have wished for, but a clumsy mistake at the 72nd hole threatened to send those chanting "Rory! Rory! Rory!" home disappointed.

Given sufficient time to collect his thoughts and reset before the playoff, McIlroy exhibited his champions status by quickly putting Rose to the sword and cementing his place as one of the most popular Masters winners of all time.

In his official post-tournament press conference, McIlroy explained a little more about what the achievement meant to him.

He said: "It's a dream come true. I have dreamt about that moment for as long as I can remember. I mentioned it out in the prize ceremony, but watching Tiger here in 1997 do what he did, and then winning his first green jacket, I think that inspired so many of my generation to want to emulate what he did.

You know, there were points in my career where I didn't know if I would have this nice garment over my shoulders, but I didn't make it easy today. I certainly didn't make it easy. I was nervous. It was one of the toughest days I've ever had on the golf course...

"It's funny, walking to the second tee, the first thing that popped into my head was Jon Rahm a couple years ago making double and going on to win. So at least my mind was in the right place, and was at least thinking positively about it.

"But just a complete roller coaster of a day. It felt -- it was very tricky out there. It almost felt more like a U.S. Open than a Masters at some points just with how firm and fast the greens got. But yeah, just really proud of how I bounced back from the double on 1, from the double on 13.

"I don't know if any Masters champions had four doubles during the week, but maybe I'm the first. But yeah, just a complete roller coaster of emotions today.

"And honestly, you know, what came out of me on the last green there in the playoff was at least 11 years, if not 14 years, of pent-up emotion.

"I think it's so ironic, as well. I got to my locker this morning and I opened it up, and there was a note in there from Angel Cabrera, and just wishing me luck. And Angel Cabrera was the player I played with on the final day in 2011, it was a nice touch and a little bit ironic at the same time. It's been 14 long years, but thankfully I got the job done."