Rory McIlroy admitted in his post-final-round interview with journalists that it was pure relief to fall on his knees after watching his playoff birdie putt sink to win the 89th Masters tournament.
“It was all relief, there was not much joy in that reaction,” he said when a reporter asked what feelings he felt when he defeated Justin Rose in the first Masters end game since 2017. “It was all easy.
McIlroy waited for 11 years not only to break his bigger-win drought, but, more importantly, etches his name along with the five golf storations that collected his career Grand Slam with any major victory on their resume.
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Rory McIlroy has the Masters Championship Trophy during the final round of Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Kyle Terada-Preferred Pictures)
McIlroy has heard it from them as Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, all of whom have Grand Slam, for years. They thought he would win at Augusta National Golf Club one day, and after getting so close in the past, McIlroy admitted he felt a little skeptical of ever getting the green jacket mounted to himself.
When he got up on the podium, the green jacket that was already placed on the back of the 2024 champion Scottie Scheffler, he saw on his daughter, Poppy, and delivered quite the inner message after living it on Sunday.
“Over to the left, my family, my team,” McIlroy said, holding back some tears. “They’ve been on this journey with mine all the way through. They know the burden I’ve been carrying to come here every year and try to try and try again.
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“The one thing I want to say to my daughter, Poppy sitting over there: Never give up on your dreams. Never give up on your dreams. Keep getting back, keeping working hard, and if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. Love you.”
McIlroy entered his 17th Masters performance with the same weight on the shoulders of not having won a major since 2014 Open Championship, and he released back-to-back rounds on 66 on Friday and Saturday to enter Sunday with a two-stroke lead over Bryson Dechambeau.
Dechambeau was just one of golfers who raised a major under the 11-year-old drought McIlroy has had to endure and came at the 2024 US Open in what was a brutal meltdown for the latter.
Rory McIlroy has the Masters Championship Trophy while posing for photographs with his wife, Erica Stoll, and daughter, Poppy, at the Green Jacket ceremony during the final round of Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Kyle Terada-Preferred Pictures)
“The US Open last year was just terrible,” McIlroy mentioned when he asked the low point for his big drought, while also adding the 2022 Open Championship loss to Cam Smith in St. Andrews.
“The losses are difficult and again, so proud of myself that I continue to return and put myself in these positions to win championships.”
It was an emotional and physical roller coaster for McIlroy that didn’t make it easy on itself throughout the round. It was up and down everywhere, and just when it looked like he was in full control of the other nine, he wobbled at the 13th with an approach that landed in the water.
From there, McIlroy would get his lead back on his way into the 18th tee and only needed pairs to let all the weight on his shoulder go. However, he missed the short pair of Putt, which led to a sudden death game with Rose, who also searched for his first green jacket in 20 performances on Masters.
However, McIlroy never lost faith, and he said his longtime Caddy, Harry Diamond, helped him on the golf cart riding back to the 18th tee box.
“After scoring, Harry and I went to the golf cart to bring us back. He said, ‘Well, Pal, we would have taken this Monday morning.’ Absolutely we wanted it.
McIlroy hit the same exact tee shot he did on his 72 hole in the tournament, and his approach was much better this time, sloping back to a two-foot birdie putt.
After Rose’s Miss, McIlroy had the chance to make dreams come true and he did not spill it this time.
As one might expect, McIlroy could not contain his feelings, and the tears continued to flow as he embraced his wife and daughter, as well as many others on his team as he went to Butler Cabin.
Rory McIlroy has the Masters Championship Trophy during the final round of Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Kyle Terada-Preferred Pictures)
It’s been a long 11 years, filled with trials and hardships. Although McIlroy still pointing out to play some amazing golf along the way, he knew he always wanted something to prove if he didn’t catch the green jacket.
McIlroy has nothing more to prove now.
