The Masters 2025: Hole-by-hole breakdown of Rory McIlroy's play-off win and Grand Slam glory at Augusta National
Rory McIlroy carded a final-round 73 before beating Justin Rose in a play-off to complete the career Grand Slam at The Masters; McIlroy's victory at Augusta National was his fifth major title and first since the 2014 PGA Championship
Monday 14 April 2025 02:58, UK
Rory McIlroy completing Grand Slam glory was never going to be straightforward, but few could have predicted just how much of a roller-coaster journey it would take to win The Masters.
McIlroy took a two-shot lead into the final round at Augusta National and briefly went four clear during a remarkable final day, where he squandered his advantage over the final six holes and slipped into a play-off with Justin Rose.
The world No 2 bounced back from bogeying his 72nd hole by birdieing the same par-four at the first play-off hole to claim his career-defining victory, with McIlroy now just the sixth player in the modern era to have completed the Grand Slam.
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McIlroy's final-round 73 included six birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys, leaving him overcoming multiple obstacles and seeing plenty of leaderboard changes during one of the most memorable Sundays in major history.
He started the day on 12 under and played alongside Bryson DeChambeau, but just how did McIlroy close out victory? We take a hole-by-hole look at his first major victory in 11 years…
Hole 1
McIlroy pitches out of a fairway bunker and sees his third shot run 20 feet past the pin, then three-putts for a double-bogey six. DeChambeau pitches out of the left trees to just short of the green and gets up and down for par.
Score: -10 McIlroy, -10 DeChambeau
Hole 2
DeChambeau knocks it onto the par-five green in two and two-putts from 65 feet for birdie. McIlroy has to lay up from a fairway bunker and two-putts from 30 feet for par.
Score: -11 DeChambeau, -10 McIlroy
Hole 3
DeChambeau hits an iron off the tee and knocks his second to within 25 feet, but three-putts for a bogey after knocking his birdie putt some eight feet past. McIlroy knocks a chip to seven feet and makes his first birdie of the day.
Score: -11 McIlroy, -10 DeChambeau
Hole 4
McIlroy fires his tee shot to inside 10 feet and rolls in the birdie putt. DeChambeau elects to putt from off the green after missing left of the tee and then misses from eight feet to save par.
Score: -12 McIlroy, -9 DeChambeau
Hole 5
McIlroy hates his drive but gets a fortunate lie in the pines, where he pitches to the edge of the green and gets up and down for par. DeChambeau misjudges his birdie and knocks it five feet past but makes the putt coming back.
Score: -12 McIlroy, -9 DeChambeau
Hole 6
DeChambeau steadies the ship with a regulation two-putt par on the par three, as McIlroy goes long of the green but judges his putt from the fringe brilliantly to leave a kick-in par.
Score: -12 McIlroy, -9 DeChambeau
Hole 7
McIlroy misses the fairway off the tee but produces an incredible recovery through a tiny gap in the trees, laughing in disbelief as he almost holes out for eagle! He misses the chance from eight feet to extend his lead, as DeChambeau produces an incredible up and down from the sand.
Score: -12 McIlroy, -9 DeChambeau
Hole 8
Both find the fairway bunker off the tee and lay up. DeChambeau two-putts from 40 feet and McIlroy from just under 30 feet to both walk off with pars.
Score: -12 McIlroy, -9 DeChambeau
Hole 9
McIlroy delivers a great drive and flicks a wedge to inside eight feet, then makes a birdie to reach the turn in 35. DeChambeau fails to convert his birdie chance from a similar distance and falls further behind.
Score: -13 McIlroy, -9 DeChambeau
Hole 10
Some 14 years on from triple-bogeying this hole during a final-round collapse, McIlroy lands in the middle of the fairway and produces a great approach, setting up a 15-foot birdie. DeChambeau makes a two-putt par from the fringe and stays at nine under, as Rose - four groups ahead - closes in after starting his second nine with three birdies.
Score: -14 McIlroy, -10 Rose (13) -9 DeChambeau
Hole 11
McIlroy, right of the trees, almost hooks it into the water, then sees a nervous chip finish 15 feet from the flag and lead to a two-putt bogey. DeChambeau finds the hazard and cards a double-bogey to seemingly end his slim hopes.
Score: -13 McIlroy, -9 Rose (14), -7 DeChambeau
Hole 12
McIlroy safely finds the green and gets down in two for a stress-free par, as DeChambeau falls further behind after failing to get up and down from the back bunker.
Score: -13 McIlroy, -9 Åberg (13), -9 Rose (14), -6 DeChambeau
Hole 13
McIlroy elects to lay up on the par-five but knocks a wedge into Rae's Creek - from under 90 yards - with his third shot, resulting in a fourth double-bogey of the week. Further along the course, Rose's back-to-back birdies from the 15th give him a share of the lead.
Score - 11 McIlroy, -11 Rose (16), -9 Åberg (14)
Hole 14
McIlroy's tee shot leaks wide and towards the trees, and misses the green with his second shot, then fails to get up and down from off the green for par. It leaves Rose, playing the 17th hole, a one-shot lead.
Score - 11 Rose (16), -10 McIlroy, -10 Åberg (14)
Hole 15
McIlroy produces a contender for shot of his career with a stunning approach from the pines, leaving him within eight feet for eagle, although he settles for the two-putt birdie. It's enough for the outright lead after Rose bogeys the 17th.
Score: -11 McIlroy, -10 Rose (17), -10 Åberg (16)
Hole 16
McIlroy hits a great tee shot into the final par three on the course but misses the birdie putt to extend his advantage, which drops him back into a share of the lead after Rose finishes his round with a long-range birdie at 18.
Score - 11 McIlroy, -11 Rose (F), 10 Åberg (16)
Hole 17
McIlroy restores his solo lead after drilling a stunning iron shot to within three feet of the flag and converting the putt, taking him back to level par the round. Rose heads to the practice area in the hope for a play-off.
Score - 12 McIlroy, -11 Rose (F), -9 Reed (17)
Hole 18
McIlroy sends a wedge from the middle of the 18th fairway into the greenside bunker but splashes out to five feet, only to miss his putt for par and fall into a play-off with Rose.
Score - -11 McIlroy, -11 Rose, -9 Reed
Play-off hole
Rose and McIlroy both find the fairway off the par-four 18th tee. Rose knocks his ball onto the green but misses his birdie attempt, as McIlroy nails his approach to within two feet and converts the career-defining putt.
Score - Rory McIlroy wins the career Grand Slam!
What's next for McIlroy?
McIlroy will sit out of the RBC Heritage next week, the latest Signature Event on the PGA Tour, before returning to action - alongside Shane Lowry - as defending champions of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans from April 24-27.
He also returns as defending champion at the Truist Championship - previous called the Wells Fargo Championship from May 8-11, an event he has already won four times and cruised to a five-shot victory at last year.
That event is being played away from the Quail Hollow Club due to it hosting the PGA Championship the following week, where he will look to win the Wanamaker Trophy for a third time and claim a second successive major. Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.
