Rory McIlroy Wins the 2025 Masters, Secures Career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy etched his name in golf history on Sunday with a thrilling victory at the 2025 Masters, defeating Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff to claim his first green jacket.

This long-awaited win makes McIlroy the sixth golfer in history to achieve the career Grand Slam, joining legends like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player.

Rory McIlroy has cemented himself amongst golf's greatest 👏

He's just the sixth men's golfer to complete the career Grand Slam 🏆#themasters pic.twitter.com/RQ7HUUiNMx
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 13, 2025

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McIlroy’s final round at Augusta National was a rollercoaster of emotion.

Despite starting the day with a two-stroke lead, early struggles and a clutch birdie on the 17th hole set the stage for an epic battle where he hit this “shot of a lifetime”.

I don’t even know anymore pic.twitter.com/PE191jP2ST
— Rory McIlroy Tracker (@RMTracker) April 13, 2025

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Rose forced the playoff with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th, but McIlroy sealed the win on the first playoff hole, landing his approach shot just four feet from the cup and sinking the decisive putt.

He did it. Rory McIlroy is a Masters Champion.
Late Sunday night after he slipped on the Green Jacket, after the dinners and the speeches, he sat down with me for a conversation about the burden he’s carried for so long, and the void he filled. pic.twitter.com/Cu1Tedt0GZ
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) April 14, 2025

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Overcome with emotion, McIlroy dropped to his knees in tears before sharing heartfelt moments with his caddie, Harry Diamond, and his family.

“This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” the 35-year-old said during the victory ceremony.

Turning to his daughter, Poppy, he added, “Never give up on your dreams. Keep coming back, keep working hard, and anything is possible.”

This monumental triumph, his fifth major victory, ended an 11-year drought since his last major win and solidified his status as one of the all-time greats in golf.

Fans around the world celebrated his perseverance, a testament to his determination and love for the game.

With the career Grand Slam now complete, McIlroy’s green jacket represents not just a victory but the culmination of a relentless pursuit of greatness.