On April 13, Rory McIlroy secured his first Masters title and finally completed his career Grand Slam as he defeated Justin Rose with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden playoff, following a thrilling and tense final round.
In a social media post, Mcllroy expressed: “Dreams do come true.”
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Netizens also expressed their excitement and shared their congratulations to Mcllroy.
One fan commented: “Earned. Hard-fought. Resilient. Deserved. 👏👏🙌” While another stated: “We couldn’t be happier for you!!! My father and I, along with golf fans everywhere, were crying tears of joy with you when that final putt fell!!!”
A witty remark also added that McIlroy was a “grand slam-pion.”
In another social media post made by The Masters, it stated: “Rory McIlroy is the sixth player to achieve the career Grand Slam. #themasters”
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More netizens expressed their admiration with one of them writing: “One of the best pieces of sports I have ever watched. Just epic. Cheering for Rory for his whole career. Just love to see him fulfil his dream!”
Highlights of the match
Mcllroy previously missed the five-foot par putt on the 18th hole in regulation and it led to a playoff. However, this event did not rattle him; he remained composed and made the most of what he had left to do. As he returned to the same hole, he then delivered an impressive approach shot that landed just two feet away from the pin.
When his winning putt found the hole, the athlete lifted his arms and let his putter fall behind him, as his emotions took over.
Mcllroy admitted before slipping on his Green Jacket during the presentation ceremony: “There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green… A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”
Furthermore, Mcllroy expressed: “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.”
With this momentous victory, Mcllroy is now the sixth golfer in history to win all four major championships. He joined legends such as Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
On the other hand, it was another heartbreak for Justin Rose at Augusta. He said: “You can’t skip through a career without a little bit of heartache… It’s not going to happen. If you’re willing to lift the big championships, you have to put yourself on the line. You have to risk feeling this way to get the reverse. It’s all – it nets out.”