Made McIlroy History... Career Grand Slammer [Masters]

The Final Puzzle: Masters Playoff Victory
Champion of All Four Different Major Tournaments
Sixth in Golf History to Achieve This Rare Feat

After a tough battle, the final puzzle piece fell into place. Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), ranked second in the world, achieved the career Grand Slam.

On the 13th (local time), at Augusta National Golf Club (par 72, 7,555 yards) in Augusta, Georgia, USA, the first major tournament of the year, the 89th Masters Tournament (total prize money $21 million) concluded. McIlroy lost one stroke in the 4th round and was tied with Justin Rose (England) at 11 under par 277, but he secured the winning birdie on the first hole of the playoff at the 18th hole (par 4), finally donning the coveted green jacket. This thrilling first victory came after 17 appearances at the Masters. It was his third win of the PGA Tour season and his 29th career victory (including 5 majors), with a winner's prize of $4.2 million (approximately 6 billion KRW).

Rory McIlroy is smiling brightly after a brilliant approach shot on the 7th hole of the Masters 4th round. Augusta=UPI Photo by Yonhap News

McIlroy has now claimed the top spot in all four different major championships: the 2011 US Open, the 2012 PGA Championship, the 2014 The Open, and now the Masters. He became the sixth professional golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam, following Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan (both USA), Gary Player (South Africa), Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods (both USA).

Starting the final round with a two-stroke lead, McIlroy recorded six birdies, three bogeys, and two double bogeys. The start was shaky. On the 1st hole (par 4), his tee shot landed in a bunker, and after taking three putts on the green, he made a double bogey, allowing 'Hulk' Brian DeShambo (USA) to catch up and share the lead. On the 2nd hole (par 5), his tee shot again landed in a bunker, and he settled for par, losing the top spot on the leaderboard. However, he changed the momentum with a birdie on the 3rd hole (par 4) and followed with a consecutive birdie on the 4th hole (par 3), extending his lead to three strokes. He then made back-to-back birdies on the 9th and 10th holes (both par 4), widening the gap to four strokes over his competitors.

Rory McIlroy is disappointed after missing a par putt on the 18th hole of the Masters 4th round. Augusta - Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

The second challenge came at the 13th hole (par 5). His third shot fell short into a creek. He recorded a double bogey on the scorecard, losing the lead to Rose. Shaken by a bogey on the 14th hole (par 4), McIlroy regained momentum with a birdie on the 15th hole (par 5), and reduced his score by one stroke on the 17th hole (par 4), reclaiming the top spot on the leaderboard. On the final 18th hole, after sending his second shot into a bunker and making a bogey, he was forced into a playoff. In the first playoff hole, McIlroy perfectly placed his iron shot close to the hole, securing the victory. Upon becoming a career Grand Slam winner, he knelt down and shed tears.

McIlroy had been particularly unlucky at the Masters. Since his debut in 2009, he had participated 16 times until last year, with his best result being runner-up in 2022 behind Scottie Scheffler (USA). The 2011 tournament was especially disappointing. Leading by four strokes and tied for second place after three rounds, he faltered in the final round and shot an 80, dropping to a tie for 15th place.

Before this year's tournament, he had already signaled a historic achievement. He had been on a steep upward trajectory recently, winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February and the Players Championship, often called the fifth major, last month. He led the FedEx Cup rankings, money list, and scoring average. His powerful drives and excellent green play continued in this tournament. Ultimately, showcasing his best form, he quenched his thirst for a major victory after 11 years.