It doesn’t matter how many tournaments you’ve won or lost. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve waited for this very moment. It doesn’t matter how hard and how painfully you’ve endured the criticism and abuse from the media, the “fans” and his peers, even his fellow competitors. It really doesn’t matter how many regretful, mind-numbing shots of complete failure that led to agonizing defeat. It doesn’t matter how many restless nights anticipating the win the next day but eventually leading up to the final holes of the final round and just blowing it all. It doesn’t matter how bad you want it. It doesn’t matter how, even at one point, just losing hope of it all.
Nothing…I mean, nothing prepares you for the moment…the very moment you’ve been dreaming about your entire life comes down to a three-foot putt, and you drain it for the win. Not just a win, but a win for The Masters. And just The Masters, but for a career grand slam win which only 5 others have accomplished in the history of this earth…which, you’ve been longing for last 11 years of your life.
It all started when Rory McIlroy’s parents captured the moment on home video as a three-year-old just practicing his swing in the living room of the family home. Have you guys seen that? It’s pretty adorable. At the age of nine, Rory appeared on TV, chipping golf balls into a washing machine. His passion for the game was nurtured by his day Gerry, who I heard would bring him to the course in his stroller. Recognizing his talent, his parents, Gerry and Rosie, took second jobs to fund their son’s career.
Well, guess what? It paid off. Rory, at age 22, became the world’s number one golfer and, at age 25, has won four major championships. So, what’s the problem? Well, then came the drought. Not just a drought for a few years. But, 11 years of it. And what else compounded the problem? There’s this thing called a Grand Slam, which is winning all four major championships (The Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and the Open Championship). At this point, he’s won almost all of them, he even won the PGA Championship twice. He just hasn’t won the most significant, the greatest, the most desirable of all majors, The Masters. Only five golfers in the history of the world have accomplished this. He would be the sixth. If…only if he can fricken win one. Come one Rory, it’s been 11 years.
Not only that, but let me give you a quick timeline, starting in 2011, when he was 21. Which came the most famous of Rory’s heartbreaks at Augusta National, he was leading by three shots making the turn in the final round, then disaster struck. McIlroy pulled his shot left into the cabins that are hidden left of the 10th tee. He found the ball but couldn’t recover, making a triple-bogey. Then, 2014, it was his top-10 finish but he couldn’t get it done. 2015, finished fourth. 2016, started strong in the lead group on Saturday, but blew the lead in windy conditions finishing 10th. 2018, leading the tournament going into the final round, then blowing his lead, ending up six back from the leader. 2022, he made a run and even shot his career-best-round, but still came short by three strokes of Scottie Scheffler..however…this final round gave hope to his pursuit for The Master’s win, this began his rebuilding of his confidence. Then 2023 came, the momentum did not continue. He miss the cut and in complete defeat, he even withdrew from the following tournament. Then, continuing in his defeat, he finishes 22nd, barely making the cut.
Then came 2025. Is this the year? Well, if you watched it, you got to witness another heartbreak; as he was leading the final round by two strokes, his competitor Justin Rose, a 44-year-old, finished his round at -11. Rory is at -12 going into the last hole. Hits an ideal drive, and has a short wedge to the hole, all he needs to do is get it on the green and two-putt for victory. But in his Rory fashion, we all gasped as he put it in the greenside bunker. But, not to worry, he’s a master craftsman from the bunker, he’ll put it close for an up-and-down par for the victory. He hit it clean out of the bunker, leaving it 5 feet short. Will he make the short 5 footer for victory? No, he pulls it left and forces a playoff with Justin Rose. This could be yet just another soul-piercing loss. But we still have hope, he HAS to win the sudden-death playoff.
Playing the 18th hole again, their first playoff hole, Justin Rose knocks his second shot close, 15 feet, a simple birdie distance. With similar shot he faced previously which he errored into the bunker, is a vivid memory that he cannot wash away, it’s staring him down in his face as he’s ready to hit the almost exact same shot, into the exact same pin position. With The Masters, and the History of the Grand Slam, the critics, the fans, his peers, his own inner core of his identity weighing on the line, he takes a swing. And, you won’t believe what happens next.