McIlroy’s Masters masterpiece: How Rory made major history at Augusta

Given the number of near-misses Rory McIlroy experienced in majors during his 11-year drought, the drama required to climb his golfing Everest at The Masters should have come as no surprise.

A new men’s major season begins with golf’s Grand Slam club having more members than it did 12 months earlier, as McIlroy joined that illustrious group after last year’s historic play-off success at Augusta National.

McIlroy’s elusive fifth major title came 14 years on from his breakthrough at the 2011 US Open, plus some 3,899 days – and 21 major top-10s – on from his 2014 PGA Championship success, but those following that memorable Sunday would agree it was worth it.

The Northern Irishman has since admitted he ‘didn’t make it easy’ for himself during that dramatic week, his 17th career appearance at The Masters, where McIlroy came out on top after what he described as a ‘roller-coaster’ Sunday.

Ahead of this year’s title defence, live from Thursday on Sky Sports, we look back at how McIlroy fulfilled his childhood dreams by ending a topsy-turvy week wearing the Green Jacket…

McIlroy takes charge after slow start

Both Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player talked up McIlroy’s chances of winning The Masters during their Honorary Starters press conference on the opening day, where he double-bogeyed three of his last four holes to stutter to an opening-round 72.

McIlroy was left having to match Sir Nick Faldo’s winning effort in 1990 and Tiger Woods’ from 2005 by coming back from seven behind after the first round, something that only seemed a more realistic possibility when he posted a round-of-the-day 66 on Friday.

Momentum continued to move McIlroy’s way after a sensational start to his third round, where he made history by opening with six consecutive threes, with two bogeys around the turn undone with a brilliant eagle at the par-five 15th and another 66.

“I just have to keep reminding myself that no matter what situation or scenario I find myself in tomorrow, I’ll be able to handle it,” McIlroy insisted after taking a two-shot lead into the final day – the first time he had held the 54-hole lead at The Masters since his 2011 collapse.

Fear moves away after early wobble

McIlroy’s overnight advantage disappeared on the very first hole, when he was forced to lay up from a fairway bunker and chip onto the green with his third shot before three-putting from under 20 feet for a double bogey.

DeChambeau followed an opening par with a two-putt birdie at the par-five next – as McIlroy had to lay up and made par – to move one ahead, only to bogey his next two holes and see the Northern Irishman jump back ahead with successive birdies.

McIlroy capitalised on a fortunate lie and angle to be able to hit over trees and scramble par at the fifth, then was left laughing in disbelief at his remarkable recovery shot from trees at the seventh – which squeezed through a tiny gap – and almost saw him holing out for eagle.

“Anytime I hit it in the trees this week, I had a gap,” McIlroy said when discussing his par at the seventh. “I probably shouldn’t have taken it [shot on]. Harry [Diamond, caddie] was telling me not to. I was like ‘no, no, I can do this’.”

From control to concern for McIlroy

McIlroy closed out an under-par opening nine holes with a brilliant birdie at the par-four ninth, then added another at the par-four next – 14 years on from seeing his Masters hopes implode with a triple-bogey on the same hole.

He flirted with the water at the par-four 11th, where his low-running pitch from right of the trees narrowly stopped short of the hazard, but remained in control of the tournament despite making bogey.

“I didn’t see the ball on 11, but I heard the groan of the crowd as it was rolling towards there [water] and then the cheer when it stopped,” McIlroy said. “It was on a little flat spot, so it was okay, but yeah, it was quite fortunate.”

The tournament was blown wide open at the par-five 13th, where McIlroy elected to lay up off the tee but knocked a wedge shot – from under 90 yards – into Rae’s Creek and made a fourth double-bogey of the week.

“I thought I played the 13th hole smartly, at least for the first two shots!” McIlroy explained. “I gave myself like a couple of yards of room to the right. I wasn’t aiming at the creek, but it came out a little weak and a little right.”

McIlroy’s next tee shot at the par-four 14th leaked right towards pines and he failed to get up and down from off the green, with a bogey dropping suddenly leaving him one behind Rose with four to play.

McIlroy magic before late mistake

One of the greatest shots in Masters history soon followed at the par-five 15th, where a seven-iron boomeranged around the trees and within eight feet of the flag, with a two-putt birdie followed by him picking up another shot at the par-four 17th.

He stood on the 72nd tee with a one-shot lead and hit a perfect drive, leaving him just a wedge from the middle of the fairway, only for him to push his approach into the bunker and fail to get up and down.

McIlroy missed five-foot putt for victory produced comparisons to the final-hole chance burned at the US Open the previous year, with a closing bogey dropping him back alongside Rose on 11 under and taking the contest to a play-off.

“After scoring, Harry [Diamond] and I were walking to the golf cart to bring us back to the 18th tee, and he said to me, ‘well, pal, we would have taken this on Monday morning’,” McIlroy explained. “That was an easy reset.”

Bonus hole delivers history for McIlroy

If there were any concerns about how McIlroy would react to letting victory in regulation slip through his grasp, he eradicated those worries by repeating the tee shot from the 72nd hole and then firing a perfect wedge to within four feet.

Rose had also given himself a great birdie opportunity but saw his putt slide right of the target, setting the stage for McIlroy to coax in his winning birdie and sink to the floor in emotion.

“It’s the best day of my golfing life,” McIlroy said after his win. “I’m very proud of myself. I’m proud of never giving up. I’m proud of how I kept coming back and dusting myself off and not letting the disappointments really get to me.”

It was only the second time in 59 years that the Grand Slam club had a new addition and first since Tiger Woods in 2000, with McIlroy following Woods, Nicklaus, Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen in now having won all four major titles.

“Welcome to the club, kid,” was the five-word text message sent to McIlroy by Woods, who will be missing from Tuesday’s Champions Dinner and The Masters after stepping away from golf ‘for a period of time’.

Now, McIlroy can create further history. Just three players – Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Woods – have successfully defended The Masters, with McIlroy having the opportunity to join another exclusive club by winning the Green Jacket again.

Victory would be his 30th on the PGA Tour and pull him level with Faldo’s all-time tally of six majors – the most by a European in the modern era – while further cementing himself as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Expectations will always remain high for McIlroy, whose last major success will be discussed for generations. If this year’s finale can offer even a fraction of the excitement we got last year, it should be another cracker.

Who will win The Masters? Watch the opening men’s major of the year exclusively live from April 9-12 on Sky Sports. Live coverage from the opening round begins on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

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