With nine holes to play on an unforgettable Sunday at Augusta National, the game’s most tortured soul, Rory McIlroy, held a four-shot lead over his rivals.
It was the same margin he’d taken into the final round of the 2011 Masters – a day that ended in heartbreak with an eight-over-par 80 and one of golf’s most infamous collapses.
As McIlroy walked to the 10th tee, CBS commentator Jim Nantz said in his dulcet tones: “It’s the biggest nine holes of his life coming up.”
At that moment, nearly 90 per cent of readers surveyed in this masthead’s Masters live blog believed McIlroy had done enough to win.
Ultimately, they would be proved right, but few bleary-eyed Australian golf fans would have predicted the drama that followed.
Here are the eight biggest moments from the day Rory McIlroy finally completed golf’s career grand slam.
1. McIlroy’s stunning shot out of the trees on No.7
After recovering from a double bogey on the opening hole, McIlroy’s tee shot on the par-four 7th bent left towards the trees. With limited options, he opted for aggression – threading a small gap at the top of the trees when he could have punched out safely. Somehow, from about 140 metres out, the 35-year-old nearly put the ball in the hole and left it inside three metres. McIlroy cracked a grin and shared a laugh with caddie Harry Diamond, knowing he’d just produced one of the shots of the day – despite his caddie encouraging him to err on the side of caution. “Arnold Palmer would’ve been proud of that one,” said CBS commentator Frank Nobilo.
2. Double bogey on No.13: the moment it nearly slipped away
Then came the nightmare. After a textbook second shot lay-up on the par-five 13th, McIlroy’s wedge attempt spun off the green and into the water. Gasps echoed around Augusta. McIlroy’s chip from the drop zone was a little long and the bogey putt slid by. With that brutal double bogey, McIlroy’s three-shot lead had vanished – as had any margin for error – as Justin Rose drew level on the leaderboard. Had he not been ahead by three, McIlroy may have tried to hit the green in two. Instead, the conservative play cost him. Suddenly, the race for glory was wide open as Ludvig Åberg also lurked in contention.
3. Brilliant birdie on No.15 keeps hopes alive
Just when it looked like things might unravel, McIlroy dug deep. An audacious second shot on the par-five 15th hooked around the trees and found the green. It was pure artistry under immense pressure. Although his eagle putt missed, a birdie propelled McIlroy to 11-under and into a share of the lead. The momentum shift was palpable. With three holes left, the final push was on.
“When I hit the wedge shot into the creek on 13, I thought I did a really good job bouncing back from that,” McIlroy said afterwards.
4. Clutch iron on No.17 sets up birdie
With the pressure peaking and Rose already in the clubhouse at 11-under, McIlroy stepped up on the 17th and flushed an eight-iron from about 154 metres. “Get up,” McIlroy could be heard yelling as the ball settled just over a metre from the pin. The putt? Never in doubt. A one-shot lead was his heading to the final hole. More than a decade of heartache would be erased if he could navigate Augusta’s famous 18th in four shots or fewer.
5. Errant second shot raises tension on 18
After hitting the fairway with a nice drive, McIlroy was left with a short iron into the 18th green, from roughly 115 metres. He appeared to misjudge the length as the ball disappeared into the front right green side bunker. It is always a tough green to get up and down from. Talk about a nervy miss at the worst possible time.
6. Agonising miss sends it to a play-off
McIlroy’s decent bunker shot left him with a putt – just longer than a metre – to win his maiden Masters tournament and secure a green jacket. He missed left, just. McIlroy looked stunned. The ghosts of 2011 loomed again.
7. Playoff redemption: one of the great iron shots
Then came the tournament-defining moment. McIlroy hit his tee shot on the play-off hole (the 18th) to almost the same spot as before. Then – under all kinds of pressure – he hit a perfect iron that landed inside Rose’s impressive shot moments earlier. The Englishman missed his putt as McIlroy took a deep breath.
“[On the play-off hole] I just needed to make a good, committed swing and I made one at the right time,” McIlroy said.
8. The putt that changed everything
McIlroy wasn’t going to make another blunder. From just over a metre out – the same distance that had haunted him minutes earlier – McIlroy made the birdie putt.
With that stroke, a decade of frustration seemed to vanish. Augusta’s patrons erupted as McIlroy dropped to his knees, overcome with emotion, and embraced Diamond.
After years of heartbreak, close calls, and constant questions, Rory McIlroy had finally completed golf’s holy grail.
“Welcome to the club,” Tiger Woods, a notable absentee from this year’s tournament, wrote on social media.
“Completing the grand slam at Augusta is something special. Your determination during this round, and this entire journey has shown through, and now you’re a part of history. Proud of you!”
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
