Rory McIlroy won the 2025 Masters Tournament, completing the career grand slam, after defeating Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff at Augusta National Golf Club. McIlroy’s victory, his first major win since 2014, came after a dramatic final round that included two double bogeys, several birdies, and a missed par putt on the 18th that forced the playoff.
He joins an elite group of golfers including Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods to achieve this feat.
McIlroy began the final round with a two-shot lead but quickly lost it after a double bogey on the first hole. He trailed Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke after the second hole but regained composure and built a three-shot lead with six holes remaining.
Another double bogey on the 13th erased his lead, but he responded with birdies on the 15th and 17th to regain a one-shot advantage heading into the final hole.
McIlroy found the greenside bunker on the 18th and missed a six-foot par putt to win the tournament outright. In the playoff, McIlroy hit his approach shot to within three feet of the hole and sank the birdie putt after Rose missed his own birdie attempt.
“I would say it was 14 years in the making. A lot of pent-up emotion came out on the 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it,” and elated McIlroy stated after registering the historic winb
Rose, who lost to Sergio Garcia in a 2017 Masters playoff, finished second. DeChambeau, paired with McIlroy in the final round, finished five strokes back.
McIlroy earned $4.2 million for his victory, part of a record $21 million purse. This is the first time McIlroy has won the Masters. He is the sixth golfer in history and the first since Tiger Woods to complete the career grand slam.
“Obviously it was a dream start,” McIlroy said of his third round. “Hit two perfect shots on one and converted. Felt like I hit three perfect shots on two, three perfect shots on three. As well, from finishing yesterday afternoon to teeing off today, it’s quite a long time. There’s a lot of nervous anticipation and anxious energy that builds up. You just want to get out there and play.”
McIlroy’s third-round 66 included two eagles and four birdies. His first eagle came on the par-five second hole, part of a historic six consecutive threes to start his round. He had taken advantage of a monster drive at the first, where he rolled in a 3m putt to secure a birdie.
His second eagle, on the par-five 15th, extended his lead to four strokes before bogeys on the 8th and 10th holes reduced it to one. He added that his par putt on 11 was a “huge” momentum builder, as was a birdie at the 13th.
DeChambeau, after trailing McIlroy, birdied three of his final four holes to finish with a 69.
“That's fun. That’s what dreams are made of right there. Now it’s Saturday, right? So I have to tell myself okay, calm down, this is not the end," said DeChambeau.
Corey Conners finished third, two strokes ahead of Patrick Reed and Ludvig Aberg. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler finished seven strokes back.
“At times I felt good, at times I felt bad,” Scheffler said. “I just couldn’t really get anything going. I think I ended up with even, which felt like I had to scramble a lot today, actually.”
He joins an elite group of golfers including Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods to achieve this feat.
McIlroy began the final round with a two-shot lead but quickly lost it after a double bogey on the first hole. He trailed Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke after the second hole but regained composure and built a three-shot lead with six holes remaining.
Another double bogey on the 13th erased his lead, but he responded with birdies on the 15th and 17th to regain a one-shot advantage heading into the final hole.
McIlroy found the greenside bunker on the 18th and missed a six-foot par putt to win the tournament outright. In the playoff, McIlroy hit his approach shot to within three feet of the hole and sank the birdie putt after Rose missed his own birdie attempt.
“I would say it was 14 years in the making. A lot of pent-up emotion came out on the 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it,” and elated McIlroy stated after registering the historic winb
Rose, who lost to Sergio Garcia in a 2017 Masters playoff, finished second. DeChambeau, paired with McIlroy in the final round, finished five strokes back.
McIlroy earned $4.2 million for his victory, part of a record $21 million purse. This is the first time McIlroy has won the Masters. He is the sixth golfer in history and the first since Tiger Woods to complete the career grand slam.
“Obviously it was a dream start,” McIlroy said of his third round. “Hit two perfect shots on one and converted. Felt like I hit three perfect shots on two, three perfect shots on three. As well, from finishing yesterday afternoon to teeing off today, it’s quite a long time. There’s a lot of nervous anticipation and anxious energy that builds up. You just want to get out there and play.”
McIlroy’s third-round 66 included two eagles and four birdies. His first eagle came on the par-five second hole, part of a historic six consecutive threes to start his round. He had taken advantage of a monster drive at the first, where he rolled in a 3m putt to secure a birdie.
His second eagle, on the par-five 15th, extended his lead to four strokes before bogeys on the 8th and 10th holes reduced it to one. He added that his par putt on 11 was a “huge” momentum builder, as was a birdie at the 13th.
DeChambeau, after trailing McIlroy, birdied three of his final four holes to finish with a 69.
“That's fun. That’s what dreams are made of right there. Now it’s Saturday, right? So I have to tell myself okay, calm down, this is not the end," said DeChambeau.
Corey Conners finished third, two strokes ahead of Patrick Reed and Ludvig Aberg. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler finished seven strokes back.
“At times I felt good, at times I felt bad,” Scheffler said. “I just couldn’t really get anything going. I think I ended up with even, which felt like I had to scramble a lot today, actually.”
