Rory McIlroy Wins 2025 Masters to Become Sixth Golfer in History With Career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy had a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau heading into Sunday at the 2025 Masters but that all came crashing down early after a terrible start to the final round where he scored a double-bogey on the first hole. Many thought we would be in for another 2011-style “choke” from the man who was attempting to achieve the unthinkable – a fifth major title that would earn him a “Grand Slam” and place him alongside Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods in the history books.

With the weight of the golfing world on his shoulders, McIlroy started to flow, recording four birdies in the next nine holes with no bogeys. This push would give him a four-shot lead as the mind games began to affect DeChambeau who was hoping for another 2024 U.S. Open repeat, but instead slid into a fifth-place result (-7) by the end of play.

McIlroy slotted six birdies on the back nine, including an outstanding 20-foot putt at 72 to place him at six-under 66 and 11-under. However, Englishman Justin Rose was here to play with one of the sweetest strokes in golf in his arsenal.

It all started to come crashing down for the Northern Irishman as his the only man capable of an upset, Rose, birdied 16 at the same time as McIlroy pushed his third shot into Rae’s Creek on unlucky 13 and made a double-bogey and lost his entire lead instantly. Jim Nantz said he and the other commentators were “still in shock,” regarding that choke shot from Rory. This would compound with a bogey on 14.

What came next was described by commentator Jim Nantz as “The shot of a lifetime,” where McIlroy struck a seven-iron around the trees and placed it six feet from the hole. However, the pressure mounted and the champion left his eagle putt on the low side of the hole and only managed a birdie for a one-shot lead.

With only one more birdie needed to clinch the green jacket in 72 holes, his streak of poor pressure putting would continue on 18 where a bunker shot would land him five feet from the hole before he pulled the putt and brought back Pinehurst memories. It would come down to a playoff between McIlroy and Rose.

McIlroy played his first playoff hole to a tee where he found the fairway before a wedge shot put him three feet from the hole. He slotted the putt and put himself into the history books as only the sixth golfer to accomplish a “Grand Slam.” More importantly, it was his first major championship since 2014, and the only one that had alluded him.

“It feels incredible,” said McIlroy. “This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. The last ten years coming here with the burden of the grand slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that, I started to wonder what we would talk about going into next year’s Masters.”

“I’m just absolutely honoured and thrilled and just so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion.”

Winner: Rory McIlroy

• Score: 277 (−11)
• Playoff: Defeated Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff with a birdie on the first hole
• Significance: This victory completed McIlroy’s career Grand Slam, making him the sixth golfer in history—and the first European—to achieve this feat

Runner-Up: Justin Rose

• Score: 277 (−11)
• Final Round: Rose shot a 66 (−6) to tie McIlroy after 72 holes
• Playoff: Lost to McIlroy in the first sudden-death hole

Third Place: Patrick Reed

• Score: 279 (−9)

Other Top Finishers

• 4th: Scottie Scheffler (−8)
• T5: Bryson DeChambeau and Im Sung-jae (−7)
• 7th: Ludvig Åberg (−6)
• T8: Corey Conners, Jason Day, Zach Johnson, and Xander Schauffele (−5)

Prize Money Breakdown

• Total Purse: $21,000,000
• Winner (McIlroy): $4,200,000
• Runner-Up (Rose): $2,268,000
• 3rd Place (Reed): $1,428,000