Rory McIlroy’s win at the 2025 Masters will go down as one of the most dramatic rounds of golf in Major history. Thankfully it culminated in him completing the career Grand Slam, had it not we’d still be dissecting the pitch shot to 13 and the approach to the 72nd hole.
McIlroy actually shot 72-66-66-73 over the course of the week. From the 3rd to the 10th on Sunday he was four under and 14-under overall. He finished on -11 and won it at the first extra hole.
We look at seven of his most crucial shots from his Masters Sunday.
1) The birdie at 3
On paper he should birdie this hole more often than not but this one came after a horror start and featured that horrible Sunday pin, cut just over the front edge. His tee shot threatened to run up to the green, his second shot had to be aimed 10 yards right of the pin.
In his press conference he singled this hole out.
“The best shot I hit was, it could be the second on 7, but one of the most important ones for me was the second shot on 3. I started 6, 5. Hit a good tee shot on 3, that’s not an easy second shot, bumping it up that hill. To judge that well and make a 3 there, when Bryson then made 5, and then to go ahead and birdie the next hole, as well, I thought that was a huge moment.
“It was a little chip bump-and-run up the hill with a lob wedge.”
If you get a chance to watch it again, look how far he’s aiming left with the putt and listen to the roars.
2) The approach to 7
On Saturday he went right, this time he pulled his fairway wood. From the outside it looked like he had no shot.
“Anytime I hit it in the trees this week, I had a gap. The second shot on 7, I probably shouldn’t have taken on. Harry was telling me not to. I was like, “No, no, I can do this.”
“I had problems all week with the 7th, 14th and 17th tee shots, all going that direction for some reason – I just struggled seeing tee shots. I knew that the front bunker wasn’t bad. I could have chased it up into the front bunker, but I saw a gap, and I was like, I can actually get this on the green, and if it goes in that little bowl, it could go close. To be able to pull it off was pretty cool even though I didn’t hole that putt either.”
The reaction to this shot, a lot of uncontrollable giggles, told us plenty that what was going on inside his head was not overly calm.
3) The tee shot to 12
McIlroy made four 3s here all week. If ever there was going to be some drama, this was a prime suspect but he played this beautifully and conservatively. Fifteen minutes later he then played the worst shot of his entire career.
4) The second to 15
This is the one that gets replayed more than any other, given what had just gone before, the shape of the shot and the magnificent setting.
“I had 8-iron in my hand, and Bryson hit first and hit it in the water. The breeze had freshened up, so I switched back to a 7 and then hit that shot. It was one of those where I knew it was enough to cover, and if it turned it, great, and if it didn’t, you’re sort of in that right trap and it’s not an easy up-and-down, but it’s a decent miss.”
McIlroy actually missed a bundle of very makable putts and his eagle putt here should slide by but the approach shot certainly got him moving forward again.
5) The approach to 17
After a semi-weak tee shot with his 3-wood, McIlroy unleashed an 8-iron that fell out of the sky and finished just a couple of feet away. It is the anguished cries of ‘go, go..’ that make this one stand out and left him needing ‘just’ a simple par at the last…
6) The tee shot on 18
Things didn’t pan out as many of us hoped but the tee shot deserves a nod here. He’s standing on the 72nd tee at his 17th Masters and he needs a four to win. And he buttons a driver, having made a mess of a lot of tee shots all day.
And then he misses the green with a wedge.
7) The approach to 18, part 2
The fact that he was playing off with Justin Rose certainly helped, plus he was the last player off the course.
“After scoring, Harry and I were walking to the golf cart to bring us back to the 18th tee, and he said to me, “Well, pal, we would have taken this on Monday morning. That was an easy reset.”
The approach in real time fanned right into the sand but, with Rose in there close, McIlroy made a three for the ages.
”I had two yards less in the play-off than I did in regulation. It was a little bit of a flatter lie, as well, so I knew I had a perfect three-quarter gap wedge; was going to land into the slope and come back. So it was a good number. I just needed to make a good, committed swing, and I made one at the right time.”
Read next: Is Rory McIlroy really the best European golfer of all time?
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