Rory McIlroy is now a perfect 2-for-2 in playoffs this season with clutch extra-hole victories. Last month, at TPC Sawgrass, he outlasted J.J. Spaun in a three-hole aggregate playoff at the Players Championship, showcasing his finesse with a pinpoint 9-iron to the island green at TPC Sawgrass. But none was bigger than his triumph yesterday at the Masters, where he sank a 4-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to edge Justin Rose, claiming his first green jacket and completing the career Grand Slam.
“It’s a dream come true. I have dreamt about that moment for as long as I can remember,” said an emotional McIlroy. “I mentioned it out in the prize ceremony, but watching Tiger here in 1997 do what he did, and then winning his first green jacket, I think that inspired so many of my generation to want to emulate what he did.
“You know, there were points in my career where I didn’t know if I would have this nice garment over my shoulders, but I didn’t make it easy today. I certainly didn’t make it easy.
“I was nervous. It was one of the toughest days I’ve ever had on the golf course. In a funny way, I feel like the double bogey at the first sort of settled my nerves.
“And it’s funny, walking to the second tee, the first thing that popped into my head was Jon Rahm a couple years ago making double and going on to win. So at least my mind was in the right place and was at least thinking positively about it.
“But just a complete roller coaster of a day. It felt — it was very tricky out there. It almost felt more like a U.S. Open than a Masters at some points just with how firm and fast the greens got. But yeah, just really proud of how I bounced back from the double on 1, from the double on 13.
“I don’t know if — I don’t know if any Masters champions had four doubles during the week, but maybe I’m the first. But yeah, just a complete roller coaster of emotions today.”
McIlroy’s triumph at Augusta National adds to his earlier wins at the Players and Pebble Beach, further cementing his legacy on the PGA Tour. The win netted him a cool $4.2 million from the tournament’s record purse and propelled him back into the spotlight, ahead of the 2025 major season — are you ready for the media’s season grand slam narrative?
Pro-File
Full Name: Rory Daniel McIlroy
Nickname: Rors
Nationality Northern Ireland
Height: 5′ 9″
Weight: 180 lb
Birthdate: May 4, 1989 (age 35)
Native: Holywood, County Down, N.I.
Resides: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Turned Pro: 2007
PGA Tour Rookie: 2009
Family: Erica (Wife), Poppy (Daughter)
Best Masters: 1st (2025)
Best PGA: 1st (2012, 2014)
Best Open: 1st (2014)
Best U.S. Open: 1st (2011)
Highest World Rank: 1st
Equipment: Taylormade
The Masters: Top Performers
Top-10 Scores
Pos-Name-Score (Rd 4)
1. Rory McIlroy -11 (+1)*
2. Justin Rose -11 (-6)
3. Patrick Reed -9 (-3)
4. Scottie Scheffler -8 (-3)
5. Sungjae Im -7 (-3)
5. Bryson DeChambeau -7 (+3)
7. Ludvig Aberg -6 (E)
8. Zach Johnson -5 (-1)
8. Xander Schauffele -5 (-1)
8. Jason Day -5 (E)
8. Corey Conners -5 (+3)
* Won in playoff
Top-5 Check Cashers
Pos-Name (Money)
1. Rory McIlroy ($4.2m)
2. Justin Rose ($2.3m)
3. Patrick Reed ($1.4m)
4. Scottie Scheffler ($1m)
5. Sungjae Im ($800k)
5. Bryson DeChambeau ($800k)
Rory McIlroy’s Winning Numbers
Topline Stats
Driving: 317.9 yards (1st)
Fairways: 35/56, 62.5% (50th)
Greens: 47/72, 65.3% (T16)
Putts/GIR: 1.633 (2nd)
Birdies: 18 (T4)
Strokes Gained: Total: 3.43 (1st)
Scoring
Round-By Round
Rd 1: 72/E (E, T27)
Rd 2: 66/-6 (-6, T3)
Rd 3: 66/-6 (-12, 1st)
Rd 4: 73/+1 (-11, T1)
Playoff: -1, 1st
Hole Scoring
Par-3: -1 (1 Birdie, 15 Pars)
Par-4: -4 (11 Birdies, 20 Pars, 3 Bogeys, 2 Doubles)
Par-5: -6 (2 Eagles, 6 Birdies, 4 Pars, 1 Bogey, 2 Doubles)
Total: -11 (2 Eagles, 18 Birdies, 39 Pars, 4 Bogeys, 4 Doubles)
Rory McIlroy’s 2025 Season
Starts: 6
Cuts Made: 6
Wins: 3 (Pebble, Players, Masters)
Additional Top 10: 1
Earnings: $13,257,558 (1st)
FedExCup Pts: 2,433pts (1st)
World Rank Before/After: 2/2
McIlroy’s Career Victories
PGA Tour: 29
2025 Masters Tournament
2025 PLAYERS Championship (2)
2025 Pebble Beach Pro-Am
2024 Wells Fargo Championship (4)
2024 Zurich Classic
2023 Genesis Scottish Open
2022 CJ Cup (2)
2022 Tour Championship
2022 RBC Canadian Open (2)
2021 CJ Cup
2021 Wells Fargo Championship (3)
2019 WGC-HSBC Champions
2019 TOUR Championship
2019 RBC Canadian Open
2019 PLAYERS Championship
2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational
2016 Tour Championship
2016 Deutsche Bank Championship (2)
2015 Wells Fargo Championship (2)
2015 WGC-Cadillac Match Play
2014 PGA Championship (2)
2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
2014 The Open Championship
2012 BMW Championship
2012 Deutsche Bank Championship
2012 PGA Championship
2012 The Honda Classic
2011 U.S. Open
2010 Quail Hollow Championship
European Tour (Pure): 10
2024 DP World Tour Championship (3)
2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic (4)
2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic (3)
2016 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open
2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic (2)
2015 DP World Tour Championship (2)
2014 BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
2012 DP World Tour Championship
2011 UBS Hong Kong Open
2009 Dubai Desert Classic
3 Questions: Rory McIlroy
When Harry Met Rory
Q. You and Harry grew up together in a tiny town playing childhood games together. What does it feel like to have him standing beside you today when you achieved that childhood dream?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I’ve known Harry since I was seven years old. I met him on the putting green at Holywood Golf Club. We’ve had so many good times together. He’s been like a big brother to me the whole way through my life (tearing up).
To be able to share this with him after all the close calls that we’ve had, all the crap that he’s had to take from people that don’t know anything about the game, yeah, this one is just as much his as it is mine.
He’s a massive part of what I do, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to share it with than him.
Breaking Bad
Q. And what would you say has been the low point during this drought?
RORY McILROY: There’s been a few. It’s hard because, like, I’ve played so much good golf. It’s hard to call the second-place finishes and the — St Andrews was a tough one to take because you only get a few opportunities there, you know, during the course of your career.
The U.S. Open last year was awful. But yeah, the losses are hard, and you know, again, just so proud of myself that I keep coming back and putting myself in positions to win these championships.
Hug From a Rose
Q. What did you say to Justin and vice versa?
RORY McILROY: I just — I congratulated him on a great week. I said, we — it’s ironic how these things happen. We were invited to a dinner by a few members of the club on Tuesday night, and we were the only two players at that table, and we are the ones that end up being in the playoff. It’s funny how these things work.
But he’s a great champion. He has displayed so much grace throughout his career. You know, selfishly, I was happy that it was another Euro in the playoff. We’re on a good run at the minute. We’re Ryder Cup year and all that.
But yeah, you know, Justin is a great champion. And I remember watching the playoff in ’17 when he went up against Sergio, and that didn’t quite go his way, either. But he’s had a phenomenal record around here, and I feel for him a little bit because he’s been so close.
Yeah, he’s a good friend, and yeah, hopefully he has a few more opportunities.
WITB: Rory McIlroy
The 35-year-old Northern Ireland native won The Masters, his fifth major, to complete the grand slam playing a full TaylorMade bag, from driver (Qi10) to golf ball (Tp5x).
Rory McIlroy’s Winning Bag
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9˚)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15˚)
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18˚)
Iron: TaylorMade P760 (4)
Irons: TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9)
Pitch: TaylorMade MG4 (46°)
Gap: TaylorMade MG4 (50°)
Sand: TaylorMade MG4 (54˚)
Lob: TaylorMade MG4 (60˚)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Ball: TaylorMade TP5
Credits: Getty Images, PGA Tour Media
