The golfing year has witnessed many great performances, many great rounds and many great shots.
But what about the finishes?
Nothing beats a golf tournament that goes right down to the line, a thrilling rollercoaster when two or more golfers go toe-to-toe testing themselves and the nerves of the watching fans.
Here are the best finishes of 2025 ranked:
1. The Masters
Rory McIlroy stood on the brink of greatness on that Sunday in April, but demons plagued him because he hadn’t added to his major championship tally since 2014 and had endured a lifetime of Augusta National pain and disappointment.
If that was the set up for the final round of the Masters, the action didn’t let us down.
McIlroy led playing partner Bryson DeChambeau by two stood on the first tee. A McIlroy double bogey left them tied at the top on the second tee. Then the Northern Irishman trailed on the third tee before hitting the fourth tee back in front.
It was giddy stuff and there was more to come. So much more.
Having appeared to settle he plopped a simple pitch to the green at 13 into the water. Cue a sweeping draw around the trees at 15 to find the green in two. The shot of the year, maybe the shot of his career.
Even then he missed a tiddler on 18 which meant he must replay it alongside Justin Rose. This time – finally – he crossed the line and the emotion left him sobbing on his knees.
2. Irish Open
McIlroy left this one late.
Stood on the final tee he needed nothing less than an eagle-3 to force extra holes with the clubhouse leader Joakim Lagergren. A 340 yard drive was a good start, as was a 192 yard approach to the heart of the green, but he still had 25 feet left.
Around the green thousands of Irish fans watched with hope in their hearts and when the putt dropped the ecstasy was the celebration of the year – the footage of wild emotion was replayed endlessly over the next few days.
McIlroy needed three extra holes but he also completed the win. That drew roars of support, but nothing to match that eagle putt finding the cup.
“The crowd go nuts!” cried Andrew Coltart on Sky Sports.
“Just box office,” added Paul McGinley.
3. Evian Championship
Grace Kim ticked birdie at 15 and 16 in the fourth major of the women’s year but she was still two shots shy of the lead heading to the par-5 18th hole in the final round in France.
Cue the most outrageous scoring finale of the year.
In regulation the Aussie set up a tap in for eagle to force extra holes. Replaying the hole for the first time her approach found water but she chipped in for birdie. And at the third time of asking she made yet another eagle to complete victory.
In around 45 minutes she had played 18 three times in 5-under-par needing just two putts.
4. US Open
In one sense bad weather marred the final round of the US Open. In another sense it added to the drama.
Before a delay JJ Spaun was in all sort of bother. He’d opened his final round with five bogeys in six holes and made the turn in a poor 5-over 40.
During the break he got his head together and rekindled his championship, but Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre had stolen a march on him with a stunning final round of 68, one of only three sub-70 Sunday scores from the top 18 finishers.
Spaun, however, now bettered the Scot with a brilliant finish. He birdied the short par-4 17th after driving the green and then drained a 64-foot birdie putt on 18 to claim the trophy. Watching that final blow on TV, MacIntyre immediately burst into applause.
5. Travelers Championship
It was considered a Ryder Cup prologue, but it was actually a Ryder Cup red herring.
Because when the US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and European sweetheart Tommy Fleetwood went head-to-head in the final round at TPC River Highlands the fans made no secret of the vibes.
The chants of “USA! USA! USA!” were long and loud, but appeared to have left Fleetwood, then still chasing his first victory in America, unmoved as he maintained what had been a pre-final round three shot lead.
But the advantage was just two with three holes to play and just one on the final tee.
Bradley stiffed his approach to 18, Fleetwood missed the green and flubbed the chip. When he missed his par putt Bradley stepped up to complete the kill and roared with delight. The chants arose again and some suggested it was the first punch landed in that year’s Ryder Cup.
It wasn’t, but Bradley’s moment was still a good one.
6. St Jude Invitational
Another big event, another Fleetwood lead heading into the final holes and still the Southport man hadn’t won in America.
This time he led by two shots with three holes remaining, but he finished par-bogey-par which wasn’t enough to match JJ Spaun’s clubhouse target.
Justin Rose, however, did match the US Open champion with a stunning burst of six birdies in his final eight holes and he nearly made it seven at 18. In the play off Rose held his nerve with another two birdies in three holes to claim the win.
7. Canadian Open
Ryan Fox had already won the Myrtle Beach Classic in May after extra holes and he did it again in June at the Canadian Open.
The Kiwi carved a superb 66 in the final round while his play-off opponent Sam Burns had blitzed a 62. It was stunning stuff which then became what the pair described as “a pillow fight” in a play-off that failed to ignite.
Until, that is, a simply sensational approach to the par-5 18th at the fourth time of asking. It forced Burns to be aggressive and he could only make par. Fox now had two putts from close range and used them both.
Read next: The 10 greatest golf shots hit this year: McIlroy features three times
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