Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is awarded the Green Jacket by Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
"The Starter" recaps the week gone by in golf. PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, provides his insights for RG. This week, Elliott breaks down Rory’s career grand slam clinching Masters victory.
In the fading light of a Georgia Sunday, Rory McIlroy finally slipped his arms into the green jacket that had eluded him for 17 years. The 35-year-old Northern Irishman defeated Justin Rose on the first playoff hole to win the 89th Masters Tournament and complete golf's career Grand Slam, joining the game's most exclusive club alongside Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
"This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time," McIlroy said, tears welling in his eyes as he addressed the patrons at Augusta National.
"I'm just absolutely honored and thrilled, and so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion... A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it."
Sunday's Rollercoaster
The victory was anything but straightforward for McIlroy, who began the day with a two-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau. After building a commanding four-shot advantage on the back nine, McIlroy's dreams nearly unraveled in a sequence that would have broken lesser men.
Standing in the 13th fairway with a comfortable lead, McIlroy inexplicably dumped his third shot into Rae's Creek, leading to a devastating double-bogey that echoed his 2011 collapse. When he followed with a bogey at the 14th, the ghosts of Masters past seemed to be circling once again as Justin Rose surged ahead by a stroke.
A Champion's Response
But this was a different McIlroy than the one who had wilted under Augusta's pressure before. At the par-5 15th, facing tree trouble after a wayward drive, he produced what may become the shot of his career – a massive, sweeping hook from 208 yards that curved around the pines and settled six feet from the hole. Though he narrowly missed the eagle putt, the birdie squared him with Rose.
Two holes later, McIlroy delivered another moment of brilliance at the par-4 17th, firing an 8-iron from 196 yards that landed just feet from the cup. As the ball soared through the air, McIlroy's desperate cry of "Go!" captured the yearning of a man who had waited a decade since his last major triumph. The subsequent birdie gave him a one-shot lead heading to the 72nd hole.
Playoff Redemption
The drama continued to the very end. After finding a greenside bunker with his approach to 18, McIlroy blasted to five feet but missed the par putt that would have sealed victory in regulation. In the ensuing playoff, he made amends with a wedge to three feet and converted the winning birdie after Rose's attempt slid by.
The Journey from Holywood
The journey to this moment began in the modest, semi-detached home in Holywood, County Down, where Gerry and Rosie McIlroy made extraordinary sacrifices for their only child's dream. Gerry worked 100-hour weeks, cleaning toilets at a sports club in the mornings, tending bar at Holywood Golf Club in the afternoons, and returning to the sports club in the evenings. Rosie worked night shifts at a 3M factory, the couple rarely seeing each other as they funded young Rory's golfing ambitions.
"I'll never be able to repay Mum and Dad for what they did," McIlroy once said. Today's victory stands as the ultimate validation of their sacrifice.
Augusta's White Whale
The road to the career Grand Slam has been paved with heartbreak. From his infamous final-round 80 in 2011, when leading by four, to near-misses in 2018 and 2022, Augusta National had become McIlroy's white whale. Even this year, with momentum from victories at Pebble Beach and The PLAYERS Championship, the demons nearly prevailed.
A Legacy Secured
For a player who burst onto the scene as a curly-haired prodigy, McIlroy's path to golf immortality has been neither straight nor simple. His major championship drought stretched nearly 11 years since his PGA Championship victory at Valhalla in 2014. Through equipment changes, management disputes, and personal upheaval, the Masters remained his elusive prize.
As darkness fell over Augusta National and chairman Fred Ridley helped McIlroy into the green jacket, the emotion of the moment was palpable. The boy from Holywood had completed his Hollywood ending, cementing his legacy among golf's greatest champions.
In the Butler Cabin, sitting where so many legends had sat before, McIlroy finally allowed himself to exhale. "What a rollercoaster," he told his putting coach Brad Faxon. Indeed, it was – not just today, but for 17 years of Masters heartbreak finally redeemed in one unforgettable Sunday in April.
Brendon Elliott, a distinguished PGA Professional, is best known for his dedication to the growth and development of junior golf. With nearly three decades of experience, Elliott has been recognized multiple times as one of the best instructors, both regionally and nationally.
Elliott's crowning achievement was being named the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award Winner, a testament to his exceptional skills and dedication. He is the founder of Little Linksters, an award-winning youth golf academy and nonprofit that works with kids of all abilities to help them develop a passion for golf. His innovative teaching methods and love for the game have made significant impacts on students and the broader golfing community.
Additionally, Brendon, a Golf Writers Association of America member, has become a renowned freelance golf writer, further solidifying his position as a top professional in the industry.
