Rory McIlroy has finally completed the elusive career Grand Slam by capturing the 2025 Masters title. After multiple close attempts at Augusta National over the years, he broke through to claim his first green jacket. To celebrate the milestone, he shared a video montage of his Masters journey on Instagram, accompanied by the caption: “Never give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard. @themasters.” This historic win places McIlroy among a select group of legends, including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Ben Hogan.
It took McIlroy 17 appearances at Augusta to accomplish the feat. In the final round, he faced a rough start with a double bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the 72nd. Despite the setbacks, he ended the round tied at 11-under par with Justin Rose. In the playoff, McIlroy sank a clutch birdie to seal his victory. He shared an emotional moment with his wife and daughter on the 18th green and dedicated the win to his family, expressing deep gratitude for their support.
His triumph also drew massive attention from fans. CBS Sports reported an average viewership of 12.7 million for the final round — a 33% increase from the previous year — peaking at 19.5 million viewers in the evening. It became the most-watched Masters final since 2018.
With this win, McIlroy secured his fifth Major title and received $4.2 million in prize money from the $21 million purse. He also earned 750 FedEx Cup points and 100 world ranking points. The win grants him several perks, including a lifetime exemption at the Masters, an invitation to the Champions Dinner, and exemption from qualifying for the PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship for the next five years.
In the post-match press conference, McIlroy reflected on the intensity of the tournament, comparing parts of it to the U.S. Open due to the challenging conditions. He highlighted how proud he was of overcoming early mistakes, including a double bogey on the 1st and 13th holes, noting that not many champions win with four double bogeys in the same week. He described the final round as an emotional roller coaster.
As part of his new status, McIlroy will also receive a gold locket when he hosts next year’s Champions Dinner, further cementing his place in Masters history.