The list of golf’s career grand slam winners is, effectively, the shortest list of the greatest players in the history of the game. For the past 25 years, it has sat at five names: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. On Sunday, it added a sixth when Rory McIlroy won his first green jacket, completing the career grand slam in his 11th attempt transversing Augusta National Golf Club.
Early in his career it felt like a matter of when, not if, McIlroy would put his name alongside those luminaries of the game by winning the Masters. However, after more than a decade without claiming a green jacket, it started to feel like the burden on McIlroy’s shoulders was simply too much for him to bear when he visited Georgia each April.
The 2025 edition of the Masters felt different. McIlroy had already won twice on the PGA Tour, something he had never accomplished prior to a Masters in his career. This week, he took a winding journey to the winner’s circle, producing one of the most emotionally exhausting rounds of golf any of us have ever seen.
A blown two-shot lead in the first two holes. A massive climb back to a brief five-shot lead. An early-second nine meltdown to give that away. A bounce back to take the lead again. And then an excruciating short miss on the 72nd hole to send the championship into a playoff. Finally, running it back on the 18th, McIlroy left himself inside 4 feet for birdie and drained it with emotions pouring out of him.
McIlroy was greeted by seemingly everyone at Augusta National on his walk to Butler Cabin, a nearly 7-minute sojourn brilliantly captured on television.
However, one massive figure in the game was missing. Tiger Woods did not play in the 2025 Masters after suffering an Achilles injury; however, he made sure to publicly congratulate McIlroy, welcoming him into golf’s most exclusive club.
Tiger wasn’t alone in congratulating McIlroy on his historic win. The man he beat in that playoff, Justin Rose, offered a classy message to congratulate McIlroy, noting how special it was on the 18th green even though he was on the wrong side of history again with his second Masters defeat in a playoff (2017 to Sergio Garcia).
Phil Mickelson, who has not always seen eye-to-eye with McIlroy in recent years, similar offered his congratulations as Rory joins him as a Masters champion.
Back home in Northern Ireland, a large group had gathered at his home club, Holywood. They obviously erupted when that final putt finally dropped.
His longtime sponsor Nike also was quick with the ad, prepared to celebrate his Masters victory with a terrific campaign.
