It was an incredible performance from Rory McIlroy saw him become the sixth male golfer to have won a career grand slam, winning his fourth different major at The Masters this weekend.
He finally has the Green Jacket and career grand slam he has been dreaming about.
Here are five takeaways from the 2025 edition of the tournament.
Rory finally wins
He provided a lot of action throughout his four rounds on his way to victory, which included three eagles, 19 birdies, four bogeys and four double bogeys.
After missing what looked like a near-certain putt to win the tournament on the 72nd hole, he played against Justin Rose in a playoff.
A quality drive and a clutch wedge shot saw him putt in his 19th birdie for the week to win the tournament and end his hoodoo at the Masters.
It came 14 years after he lost a four-shot lead coming into the final round to finish in a tie for 15th at the 2011 Masters and three years after coming second in the 2022 Masters. The story was complete for Rory McIlroy.
He is simply too good of a golfer not to have had a Masters win.
The drama and pressure of a final round
When Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy teed off for the final round, there was all to play for.
As McIlroy made a double bogey on the first hole and DeChambeau made a birdie on the second to take the lead, there were thoughts it would be like the 2024 US Open, which DeChambeau won as McIlroy cracked under the pressure.
However, McIlroy stayed strong after his double bogey start while DeChambeau shot a three over 75 to finish in fifth place, five shots back.
Justin Rose lifted to the occasion, shooting a rollercoaster six under 66 to finish equal first before the playoff.
The 44-year-old’s final round included 10 birdies, four bogeys and four pars to finish off a fantastic week, which included leading after the first and second rounds.
Money talks
The amount of money players can win on a Sunday in a major is huge, and the mistakes players make can lose them significant money.
Max Homa’s double bogey on 17, the second last hole, cost him dearly. His two additional shots on the hole cost him a tie for seventh place and a whopping $241,000. Ludwig Aberg is another example, finishing his final round with a bogey and a double bogey.
The three extra shots cost him a cool $725,000. Conversely, Rory McIlroy’s putt to win the tournament saw him win roughly an extra $1.9 million, taking home $4.2 million.
A good weekend for McIlroy, taking home the green jacket and a hefty payday.
Own coverage is not always the best coverage
Augusta National Golf Club, which organises The Masters, probably has the most unique broadcasting arrangements for a sporting event this big as they control all digital streaming and broadcasting rights.
This allows them to control nearly every part of the broadcast, from what is televised to how commentators talk about the event.
While spectators may have seen all the action on the course, a bit was missing from the TV broadcast. Notably, there is restricted TV coverage for rounds one and two, and full coverage doesn’t come on until the afternoon on the weekend.
There were many people online venting about the lack of coverage of such a big event. Whether changes will be made to future Masters will remain to be seen.
Dunlap shows courage
The Masters is arguably the biggest golf major but has the smallest field of all majors with just 95 players playing this year.
With a small field and a lot of coverage, the pressure is high for players to play well. Unfortunately for Nick Dunlap, who is struggling with his golf swing, he shot 18 over 90 in his first round and was 11 shots behind the second-last player.
Dunlap could’ve easily withdrawn from the tournament, being so far back, but came back and shot a one-under-par 71 in the second round.
While he may still have finished last, the resilience and determination to return after his first round won him many fans and shows some true professionalism.
