A walk to the Butler Cabin at the Masters is one of the most iconic traditions in golf. For the new Masters champion, it’s the final step in a journey that symbolizes their triumph. After signing the winning scorecard, the champion is quickly escorted to the cabin, which sits in the northeast corner of Augusta National Golf Club, near the Par 3 Course. It was in this legendary setting that Rory McIlroy received the revered Green Jacket from the previous year’s winner, Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler reflected on the emotional significance of the moment, describing how special it was to witness McIlroy complete the career Grand Slam. “It was really cool for me to be there in that moment, to be able to congratulate him and just see the joy on him,” he shared. The moment carried extra weight, as McIlroy’s Masters win marked the final major he needed to secure his place among the sport’s all-time greats.
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During a press conference ahead of his title defense at the RBC Heritage Open, Scheffler offered more insight into the experience. He explained that he tried to keep a low profile during the presentation, knowing the emotional gravity of the moment for McIlroy. “I kind of just tried to stay out of the way and basically get the jacket on without embarrassing him or myself,” he said with a touch of humor. “I got to watch the whole celebration. I watched the finish. It was really cool for me to be able to see because I don’t have the understanding of what it’s like to be asked about the career Grand Slam, but I have a small understanding of what it’s like to be asked, ‘Hey, you accomplished this, but you haven’t accomplished that.’ It can be very taxing on people sometimes.”
For McIlroy, the Masters win was more than a triumph—it was a release. Having burst onto the professional scene as a teenager with huge expectations, he had long been seen as golf’s next superstar. He won four major championships in rapid succession but had repeatedly fallen short at Augusta. After an 11-year gap since his last major, he finally captured the elusive title, completing a journey nearly 14 years in the making.
Scheffler acknowledged the broader meaning of McIlroy’s win. It wasn’t just another victory at Augusta—it was the defining moment of a legendary career. McIlroy had already won the FedExCup, THE PLAYERS Championship, and now, all four majors. “Maybe the only other thing would be the Olympics, which is what he would want to win,” Scheffler said. “So for him, it was really cool for me to be there in that moment. He’s a good friend of mine. To be able to congratulate him and just see the joy on him and his family was really cool.”
Scheffler, familiar with the mental and emotional demands of elite competition, respected the effort and perseverance it took McIlroy to reach this point. That’s why he stayed out of the spotlight and allowed McIlroy to soak in the moment.
With his Masters victory, McIlroy joined an elite group of just six golfers in history to complete the career Grand Slam—alongside Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. Remarkably, McIlroy now holds the record for the longest span between his first major and the one that completed the Slam, a testament to his longevity and resilience in the sport.
As he looks ahead, the next milestone may be Olympic gold—arguably the only major accolade left for him. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics just three years away, and the addition of a mixed team event, McIlroy’s chances to further cement his legacy are strong. His journey has been long, filled with highs and setbacks, but with this milestone behind him, he now stands among golf’s greatest.