1 day Ago
AUGUSTA — Shortly before 2 p.m. on the final day of the Masters Tournament, hundreds of people began to gather near the big oak tree that stands sentinel near the clubhouse of Augusta National Golf Club.
By 2:15, a gauntlet had formed as they waited for the contestants – like Roman gladiators entering the arena – to make their way to the first tee. “You can feel the excitement building,” a veteran golf writer said. At 2:20, Rory McIlroy popped out of the breezeway and a large cheer erupted.
He kept his focus in front of him as he went through. A couple of minutes later, Bryson DeChambeau came through the clubhouse doors and a similar cheer rang out. He bumped fists and interacted with the people as he made it through the crowd.
The assembled patrons, members, media and club employees were there to see history. Could McIlroy win the Masters and complete the career Grand Slam? Going out McIlroy immediately squandered his two-shot lead with a double bogey at the first hole. But he seized control with birdies at Nos.
3 and 4 while DeChambeau made bogeys. A short birdie at the ninth increased his lead to four as he made the turn. Once again he walked a gauntlet, this time from the ninth green to the 10th tee.
The gallery was in full throat as he made the walk, giving him vocal encouragement. Unlike he did in 2011, when he squandered a big lead, McIlroy hit a perfect drive on No. 10 and made birdie.
Then it was a topsy-turvy ride through the second nine. McIlroy squandered his lead, DeChambeau fell apart and Justin Rose emerged as a contender. After missing a short putt for par on the 72nd hole, McIlroy went into a sudden-death playoff with Rose.
On the first extra hole, McIlroy secured his spot in golf history with a short birdie putt. "We saw part of history today. Someone won the career Grand Slam," Rose said.
"It's a momentous day in the game of golf. Quite rightly, fans are going to be excited about that. He's captivating to watch.
" At long last For those who were there to see history, it was a success. After the winning putt fell, McIlroy raised his arms in celebration and threw his putter in the air. He then fell to the ground and sobbed.
Now he faced a different gauntlet between the 18th green and clubhouse. This time it was a celebration. He stopped to kiss his wife, Erica, and his daughter, Poppy.
McIlroy slowly walked the 100 yards or so, soaking it all in. He shook hands and greeted friends and family. When he got closer to the clubhouse, close friend and fellow competitor Shane Lowry gave him a bear hug.
Ryder Cup teammate Tommy Fleetwood embraced him. Then it was off to Butler Cabin for the televised green jacket cemetery. "It feels incredible.
This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time," McIlroy said in the Butler Cabin ceremony. "I think the last 10 years coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that, yeah, I'm sort of wondering what we're all going to talk about going into next year's Masters. "But I'm just absolutely honored and thrilled and just so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion.
" From Butler Cabin, he went to the practice putting green for the outdoors jacket ceremony. And then, he had one final gauntlet. Wearing a green jacket, he smiled and slapped hands as he made his way to a golf cart that would take him to the press building for the champion’s interview.
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