When Rory McIlroy reached the turn on Sunday at The Masters several shots clear, it appeared that the Northern Irishman had given himself the breathing space to coast across the line and complete the career grand slam.
Of course, we all should have known better.
Rory McIlroy is a Masters champion. However, the golfing world got a glimpse of what was to come after he made a double bogey on the first hole of the day to throw his lead away immediately.
McIlroy recovered and pulled away from the field again. But just when it appeared that he had the tournament won, he put his approach on 13 in Rae’s Creek to open the door once again.
Dame Laura Davies makes claim about Scottie Scheffler after Rory McIlroy wins The Masters
Despite stunning shots on 15 and 17, McIlroy could only make a playoff with Justin Rose. Thankfully for McIlroy, he was able to get the job done with a birdie on the first extra hole. Suddenly, 11 years of emotion burst out of McIlroy on the 18th green.
It was clear what it meant to the patrons too, with the galleries chanting his name. It is undoubtedly one of the most significant days in Masters history.
It is also unquestionably one of the most draining.
And speaking to Sky Sports (broadcast on 14/4), Dame Laura Davies suggested that only Rory McIlroy could have had the crowds pushing him towards the line in the manner they did on Sunday.
“Yeah he does everything, doesn’t he. I said he’s hit the worst shot of his career on 13 and the best shot of his career, because at the time, it looked like that was setting him on his way to win it. Then obviously he went on and messed up 18,” she said.
“But that’s what you get from Rory, and that’s why you love watching the golfers that are a little bit flawed when they play. With all respect to Scottie Scheffler, sometimes he’s so good, it’s almost boring – and that sounds ridiculous, as good as the man is.
“But you’d rather watch someone like Rory, a Tiger, people like that, that get you on a rollercoaster, and that today was one of the best rollercoasters ride that I’ve ever seen in my life.”
How Rory McIlroy completed the career grand slam with victory at Augusta National
McIlroy’s run to the career grand slam arguably began and ended with The Masters. It was his collapse at Augusta National in 2011 which seemed to inspire his dominant victory at the US Open shortly after.
By the end of 2014, McIlroy was three-quarters of the way to adding his name to the list of grand slam winners: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. He won the PGA Championship in both 2012 and 2014.
And he also added The Open Championship in 2014.
It has taken more than a decade, but McIlroy has finally added that fifth major. It would not be a surprise if it was not even 11 months before major number six was secured.
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