There is a good chance that Rory McIlroy has already forgotten everything he said on Sunday at The Masters, with the entire day probably feeling like something of a fever dream for the Northern Irishman.
Rory McIlroy really put his fans through it on Sunday at The Masters, with the Northern Irishman needing a playoff to finally earn the right to slip on the green jacket and add his name to the most exclusive club in golf.
McIlroy had gone into the day with a two shot lead. However, that lead had evaporated in no time at all as he made a double bogey on the first hole. He hit an extremely poor wedge shot to deny himself a genuine chance at birdie on the second.
But McIlroy then found that next gear. And there was a very brief moment just after the turn where he found himself five shots clear of anyone else. However, it was then that the fun and games then really started.
Rory McIlroy’s comment after winning The Masters which surprised Rex Hoggard
The sublime of the approaches on 15 and 17 was combined with the ridiculous mistakes on 13 and 18. It was scarcely believable that he had left himself needing a playoff to win The Masters, particularly when a par up the last was enough to win inside 72 holes.
Thankfully for McIlroy, he was able to get the job done. And in his press conference afterwards, the 35-year-old was asked to pick out the best shot he hit all day.
McIlroy identified the chip on the third as the most important. And speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Rex Hoggard admitted that he was a little taken aback by his answer.
“I hate doing shot by shot. I don’t particularly care what club he hit on the 72nd hole. However, I was fascinated when he went through his card and was asked what was the best shot of the day,” he said.
“It was an interesting question because it always ends up being something you didn’t expect. His answer was something I did not expect. You could argue it was the nine iron on number seven, how he launched it and where it ended up, it could have gone really poorly and he ended up having a birdie look.
“Certainly you look at what he did with his second shot on 15, I thought that was going to be the shot of the tournament. That was pure gold. I don’t know if I have ever seen anything so good.
“What he did on the playoff hole with his second shot, after hitting a really sloppy wedge to play the same hole in regulation. I thought to rebound off of that and not be disturbed by any demons which may still be around, I thought that was really impressive.
“None of those things were it. His favourite shot of the day was the second on the third hole. And I kind of get where he is coming from, because he got off to such a terrible start and he pars the second, which is a birdie hole.
“It was going to be a delicate chip up the hill and the way he bumped into the bank and gave himself a birdie opportunity that he ended up converting, that was the shot of the week for him.”
The most crucial shots which won Rory McIlroy The Masters
When fans look back at the highlight reels of some of the best shots McIlroy hit during the final round in the years to come, they are really going to wonder how exactly he needed a playoff to win, particularly as he had a two shot lead going into the day.
The chip on three was sumptuous, as was the tee shot on four. The approach on seven was pure theatre, while the second shot into 15 looked set to be the moment it was won.
Of course, it wasn’t. But then McIlroy stole the show again on 17. And it should not be overlooked just how brilliantly he did to find the 18th fairway twice. He really did not seem to have his A game off the tee for most of the day.
But that chip on three was confirmation that the shaky start was a couple of bad breaks away from being so much better. So perhaps you can understand why McIlroy sensed it was such a pivotal moment.
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