Kaycee Staton
Staff Writer
The “Career Grand Slam” in professional golf is a monumental achievement, representing the pinnacle of success in the sport. It signifies a player having won each of the four major championships at least once: the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship (British Open). Before the 2025 Masters, only five legendary golfers had achieved this elusive feat: Gene Sarazen (1935), Ben Hogan (1953), Gary Player (1965), Jack Nicklaus (1966) and Tiger Woods (2000).
After 11 years of anticipation since his first major win at the 2011 U.S. Open, and a career marked by brilliance, determination, and strength across 17 Masters starts since his debut in 2009, Rory McIlroy finally joined that elite group and achieved his long-held dream at the 2025 Masters. This victory marks his fifth career major championship, adding the coveted green jacket to his triumphs at the PGA Championship (2012) and The Open Championship (2014). His 17 attempts before a Masters win are the second-most in tournament history, behind only Sergio Garcia.
The demanding nature of Augusta National was evident early in the tournament, as several of the game’s elite surprisingly failed to make the cut. Major champions Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, along with other top players like Tony Finau and former Masters winner Dustin Johnson, were among those whose Masters dreams ended after just two rounds. This underscored the unforgiving consequences of even slight errors on the challenging course.
However, for Rory McIlroy, the weekend presented an opportunity he seized with both hands. After navigating the cut, he played stellar golf to take the lead into the final round.
The tension mounted on Sunday as he faced a resilient challenge from Justin Rose, a former U.S. Open champion and a perennial contender at Augusta. Rose displayed remarkable composure and skill, refusing to yield and matching McIlroy’s brilliance down the stretch.
The drama reached a fever pitch on the 18th hole of regulation play. With the weight of the Grand Slam on his shoulders, McIlroy narrowly missed a putt that would have secured victory, resulting in a tie with Rose and forcing a sudden-death playoff.
Returning to the iconic 18th, the atmosphere was electric. McIlroy, displaying the steely resolve that has defined his career, hit a masterful approach shot, leaving himself a makeable birdie putt. Under immense pressure, Rose responded with a solid approach of his own.
Unfortunately for Rose, he would give back the favor, missing his makeable putt leaving the door wide open for McIlroy.
In a moment that will be etched in Masters history, McIlroy calmly rolled in his birdie putt and emotionally fell to the ground, sending a thunderous roar through Augusta National. The green jacket, the symbol of Masters supremacy, was finally his. The Career Grand Slam was complete, a feat achieved by only a handful of legends before him.
“It feels incredible. This is my seventeenth time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. But a moment like this, standing here as Masters champion and completing the Grand Slam, makes all the years and all the close calls worth it,” McIlroy said on the CBS broadcast.
He later added a heartfelt message to his daughter in his green jacket ceremony, winning speech:
“The one thing I would say to my daughter Poppy … never give up on your dreams. Never, ever, give up on your dreams,” McIlroy said.
