AUGUSTA, Ga. — Ultimately, after Rory McIlroy walked up the final fairway twice with a chance to win the Masters, overcoming multiple players and his own mistakes during an emotional 19 holes, and after dropping to his knees in overwhelming emotion, he paused near the Augusta National clubhouse.
He had finally reached his peak. Now, there was only one thing left to do. With a flushed face and tears in his eyes, he turned to his friends and spoke the words he had longed to say for over a decade:
`I have to go get a green jacket.`
On Sunday, carrying the weight of an 11-year major drought, McIlroy was expected to be cheered on by Augusta`s patrons. However, as he navigated what he described as a roller-coaster round, whispers also circulated through the grounds.
`Oh my God,` a spectator exclaimed after McIlroy`s double bogey on the first hole.
`It`s nerves,` another commented, as McIlroy conceded the lead to Bryson DeChambeau on the second.
One patron covered his face, saying, `He`s doing it again.`
When McIlroy double-bogeyed the 13th hole, sending his ball into Rae`s Creek, bogeyed the 14th, and followed his birdie on 17 with a bogey on the last, it appeared to be another missed opportunity on the grandest stage. Even McIlroy himself thought so.
`There were moments on the back nine when I wondered, “Have I let it slip away again?”` McIlroy admitted. `My real battle today was internal. It wasn`t against anyone else.`
This victory was more than a decade in the making. Past near-misses and disappointments had left their mark, creating a delicate balance between victory and defeat. It was fitting that it unfolded this way, that a six-shot lead with eight holes remaining wasn`t enough, that every shot felt laden with the potential to either perpetuate his losing narrative or, ultimately, lead to relief in a playoff.
`It`s the greatest day of my golfing life,` McIlroy declared. `I`ve genuinely realized my dreams.`
A win at St. Andrews in 2022 would have been poetic. A U.S. Open victory at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023 would have highlighted his game`s evolution. Triumph at Pinehurst last year could have dramatically ended his major drought.
Yet, none of those wins would have answered the persistent question: Could McIlroy win at Augusta?
For McIlroy, this tournament carries personal significance, deeply intertwined with his golfing journey. Memories of watching the Masters as a 7-year-old with his father flooded back to him when speaking earlier in the week and again on Sunday night.
`I believe all of that comes back to me,` McIlroy reflected. `Remembering why I initially fell in love with the game.`
Two years after turning professional in 2007, McIlroy debuted at the 2009 Masters, finishing tied for 20th. He has competed in every Masters since – 17 in total – experiencing both close calls and disappointments. Over nearly two decades, the golf world and its premier tournament have evolved, and so has McIlroy.
The voluminous, dark curly hair of his 19-year-old self, driving down Magnolia Lane, is gone. McIlroy now sports a shorter haircut. Graying temples mark the passage of time, a testament to his long presence in the sport and a reminder of the numerous opportunities he`s had to achieve what he finally accomplished on Sunday: completing a career Grand Slam.
`I think I`ve carried that weight since August 2014,` McIlroy shared. `It`s been incredibly challenging. Today was tough.`
McIlroy spoke extensively about the nerves he battled throughout Sunday. He discussed the pressure, both self-imposed and from the expectations of legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, who had predicted his Masters victory as if it were inevitable.
However, Sunday`s performance, in its intense microcosm, underscored that McIlroy has never been Nicklaus or Woods. This isn`t about the quality of his game, but rather that his journey, much like this week with its double bogeys and unpredictable swings, is defined by its highs and lows.
`You must be eternally optimistic,` McIlroy stated. `I genuinely believe I am a better player now than I was a decade ago.`
His mantra of patience, belief, and resilience in the face of repeated setbacks reached a low point at Pinehurst last year. That defeat cast uncertainty over his career`s immediate future, necessitating a reset. McIlroy responded by taking time off, reflecting in solitude in New York City, and eventually returning to practice, refining his swing in a simulator.
A minor technical adjustment, mental rejuvenation, and a new year brought a refined McIlroy. He secured wins at Pebble Beach and the Players Championship, acknowledging Scottie Scheffler`s dominant year as motivation and demonstrating a remarkable balance of control and aggression.
Yet, the question lingered, more pressing than ever: Could he achieve it at the Masters? On Sunday, he delivered the long-awaited proof. He also demonstrated the depth of his desire.
`This is my 17th time here, and I began to question if my time would ever come,` McIlroy confessed. `The emotions that surfaced on the final green in the playoff represented at least 11, if not 14, years of pent-up feelings.`
`I accomplished the mission.`
In a video released by the PGA Tour earlier on Sunday, McIlroy was asked about his jacket size. He mentioned being a 38 or 40 short, depending on his weekly diet.
`I prefer a slightly more European style,` McIlroy noted in the video. `A bit more fitted, tapered, and cinched in.`
On Sunday, Scheffler assisted McIlroy in donning the green jacket. It was a size 38 regular, slightly loose and not yet tailored to McIlroy`s preferred fit. But as the wool fabric enveloped his shoulders, McIlroy closed his eyes, raised his hands, and looked upwards.
The fit didn`t need to be perfect; everything else already was.
Benedict Kingsley