Rory McIlroy Completes Career Grand Slam at The Masters

Rory McIlroy became only the sixth player in history to complete the career Grand Slam after his play-off victory against European Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose at the Masters Tournament.

In turn, he moves further ahead in the 2025 European Ryder Cup Rankings where the seven-time Team Europe man sits on 2,863.75 points.

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The play-off was Rose’s second at Augusta National, after defeat to Sergio Garcia in 2017, and he carried all the momentum after carding a sensational final round 66 (-6) including ten birdies.

Both the Team Europe men would hit perfect drives down the first extra trip up the 18th hole, with Rose hitting his approach to ten feet, only to be bettered by McIlroy who produced a sublime gap wedge to four feet.

Rose’s putt would narrowly slide by the side of the hole leaving McIlroy four feet to make amends for his previous five-foot miss in regulation.

Scenes of pure emotion followed as McIlroy found the centre of the cup to win his first Green Jacket and join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to complete the career Grand Slam.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 13: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates winning the 2025 Masters Tournament after the first playoff hole on the 18th green at Augusta National Golf Club on April 13, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

“It feels incredible,” said McIlroy. “This is my 17th time here and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time.

“I think the last ten times, coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that – I sort of wonder what we're going to talk about going into next year's Masters!

“I'm absolutely honoured and thrilled and just so proud to be able to call myself the Masters Champion.

“When I hit the wedge shot into the creek on 13 – I feel like I did a really good job of bouncing back from that – and the double-bogey at the first as well.

“There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came up on that 18th green but a moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.

“I want to say hello to my mum and dad back home in Northern Ireland. I can't wait to celebrate this with them.”

Leading by two heading into the final round, McIlroy got off to a poor start when he made double bogey on his opening hole.

And when he couldn’t match Bryson DeChambeau’s birdie on the par five second hole, McIlroy trailed by one.

However, the Northern Irishman would begin to rally making birdies at holes third, fourth, ninth and tenth.

With DeChambeau making double bogey at the 11th, followed by a bogey on the 12th, it looked as if McIlroy would stroll to victory. That was until the Northern Irishman found Rae’s Creek from inside 100 yards on the 13th hole which ultimately resulted in a double bogey seven.

Meanwhile Rose, who started the day seven strokes back, was rolling in his ninth birdie of the day at the 16th and found himself in a tie for the lead.

Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg briefly joined a tie for the lead when he birdied the 15th, however a bogey-double bogey saw the Swede finish in solo seventh place, adding to his runner-up finish on his Augusta National debut in 2024.

Bouncing back with a birdie at the 15th, after a miraculous second shot around the trees to the par five, McIlroy briefly led again but the drama was far from over.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 13: Justin Rose of England reacts after putting for birdie on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 13, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

After a finding the final green in two, Rose holed a spectacular 20ft putt for his tenth birdie of the day and set the target in the clubhouse at 11 under par.

When McIlroy tapped in for birdie on the 17th and hit the perfect drive down the 18th, the tournament seemed all but over. However, a leaked approach into the greenside bunker meant McIlroy needed an up and down to complete the Career Grand Slam.

After splashing out to five feet, McIlroy saw his par putt slide by and the European Ryder Cup teammates would head to a play-off – Rose’s second play-off at Augusta National after being defeated by Garcia in 2017.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 13: (L-R) Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland shakes hands with Justin Rose of England after the first playoff hole during the final round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 13, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The second place for Rose sees the six-time Team Europe man climb 24 places and into the automatic Ryder Cup qualification places in fourth place with 852.64 points.

McIlroy currently occupies top spot in qualifying on 2,863.75 points, with Tyrrell Hatton (990.55 points), Rasmus Højgaard (869.53 points), Rose (852.64 points), Shane Lowry (809.93 points) and Åberg (800.13 points) rounding out the automatic qualifiers.

The qualification process will end at the DP World Tour’s Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, which concludes on Sunday August 24, 2025.

Click here to see full rankings.