The emotion of 14 years of trying came flooding out of Rory McIlroy as he realised his lifetime’s ambition of achieving golfing immortality with victory at Augusta National on Sunday.
McIlroy rolled in a three-foot putt to beat Justin Rose in a sudden-death play-off to finally win his first Masters title and complete the career Grand Slam in a hugely dramatic final round.
Having missed a par putt to win in regulation, McIlroy’s birdie on the first extra hole denied his Ryder Cup team-mate as he claimed the biggest prize of his life.
McIlroy let out a huge roar before collapsing to the ground and weeping tears of joy at the end of an extraordinary day of sporting theatre.
“I would say it was 14 years in the making,” an emotional McIlroy said, referencing the 2011 Masters when he threw away a four-shot lead in the final round.
“A lot of pent-up emotion came out on the 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”
Holding back more tears before he was helped into the Green Jacket by last year’s winner Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy added: “I want to say hello to mum and dad back in Northern Ireland. I can’t wait to see them next week and can’t wait to celebrate with them.”
Having won the US Open, The Open and two US PGA Championships by the end of 2014, McIlroy completes the full set of major championships at the 11th attempt.
He becomes the sixth man – and first European – to clinch the Slam, joining Americans Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods and South Africa’s Gary Player.
It was another gut-wrenching Masters defeat for Rose, who also lost to Sergio Garcia in a play-off in 2017, but the 44-year-old Englishman deserves immense credit for bouncing back from a 75 on Saturday with a six-under 66 to push McIlroy all the way.
McIlroy’s win is both the most significant achievement of his 18-year professional career and the culmination of a journey that has forced him to rebound from a series of major championship heartaches.
It is fitting, too, that it is the most thrilling win of his career given the highs and lows he experienced over the final 18 holes.
For a while, McIlroy threatened to add another to his list of recent near-misses.
Back-to-back 66s gave him a two-shot lead to take into Sunday’s final round but a double bogey on the first wiped out his advantage.
However, from there he had three birdies in seven holes as he went four clear with nine to play, but four dropped shots in as many holes from the 11th gave hope to the chasing pack.
And while others faded, 36-hole leader Rose birdied six of his final eight holes to force a play-off and keep alive the 2013 US Open winner’s dream of winning the Masters at the 20th attempt.
All week, McIlroy has spoken about his ability to bounce back from setbacks. Key to his approach this week has been seeking advice from renowned sports psychologist Bob Rotella and McIlroy needed to lean heavily on his guidance during a final round that pushed him to the limit.
Starting at 12 under and leading Bryson DeChambeau by two, McIlroy opened with a double bogey but regrouped to birdie three and four. After four straight pars, he picked up two more shots at nine and 10.
At that point, McIlroy held a commanding four-shot lead as he threatened to pull away from the pack. But after dumping his third shot at the par-five 13th in the creek, he stumbled to another double bogey – his fourth of the week – and let another shot slip on the 14th.
He regrouped to produce a stunning approach to 15, and while he missed his eagle putt, he followed a birdie with another gain on the 17th following a towering second shot from 196 yards to three feet.
That took him to 12 under, one clear of Rose, who birdied the last, and needing a par on the 18th to win.
There was another twist, however, as he pushed his approach into a greenside bunker and failed to sink his six-footer for par after splashing out of the sand, setting up a play-off with Rose as he completed a round of 73.
But McIlroy shook off that one last wobble to beat Rose and set the stage for remarkable scenes on the 18th green as he soaked in the acclaim and let his emotions flow.
“When I hit the wedge shot into the creek on 13 I felt I did a good job of bouncing back,” added McIlroy.
“I was really nervous going out. It was almost as if the double bogey [at the first] calmed my nerves a little bit and got me into it.
“All week I responded to setbacks and that’s what I’ll remember. I’m so proud of that and being able to bounce back.”