Rory McIlroy ended his long wait for a green jacket and completed the career grand slam at the 11th attempt of trying, also ending his ten year major drought in an all time classic at Augusta National. Angus Blacklock talks through the second nine at Augusta National on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy had birdied the 10th hole on his final round at the Masters on Sunday at Augusta, the birdie gave the Northern Irishman a four shot lead. It looked like McIlroy was about to create history, but as it so often does, Amen Corner threw up more than a few surprises.
McIlroy stood on the 11th tee and would have been full of confidence, however his driver had been quite erratic already on the Sunday, missing both left and right on the first nine. This continued off the tee at 11, he had pushed it right, giving him a tough angle in with the natural slope down to the pond left of the green. He tried to draw it round a couple of Augusta’s big trees and caught it thin, it looked destined to end up in the pond but it stopped just short.
To the left of him on the fairway, Bryson Dechambeau had pulled his wedge shot into the pond, an almighty blow to his hopes of a green jacket. It looked like McIlroy had lucked out and it was finally going to be his time. But after an average chip and two putt he walked off with a bogey. With the pack dropping a shot as well, his four shot lead was intact. A dent in a seemingly smooth road – you would think.
The leader played the challenging par three 12th sensibly, safely put his tee shot onto the middle of the green and two putted for a stress free par. Meanwhile his playing partner Dechambeau had just played himself out of contention with another bogey, leaving himself seven behind with five left to play.
After two sensible shots on the par five 13th Rory had layed up nicely, he was navigating the infamous Amen Corner rather well, he had a safe chip onto the green. But that chip was not safe, no one could have foreseen McIlroy finding the water from 82 yards out with a wedge with the whole green to aim for? Well thats exactly what happened. It shocked the golfing world watching. It shocked him. He went on to make double bogey and dropped down to 11 under
“I had 82 yards to the pin. It had went into a little valley and it was on the upslope. And usually when I hit wedge shot off upslopes, they come out a little bit left on me. I gave myself like a couple of yards of room to the right. I wasn’t aiming at the creek, but it came out, you know, a little weak and a little right” – Rory McIlroy on his chip at 13 at The Masters Press Confrence
Now, enter Justin Rose – as McIlroy is busy imploding on 13, the Englishman, who was having a very solid week was putting together a fantastic score, and after starting from seven back, was six under for his round. After back to back birdies on 15 and 16, he found himself tied for the lead at the Masters, something no one could of predicted little over 20 minutes before it happened.
McIlroy, who at one point had a five shot lead over his competetors, stood over the 14th tee as a co-leader. He had been caught, the final five holes were going to test his mental strength more than ever before in his career. There were signs of nerves. He pulled his tee shot on 14 into the pine straw before his second fell just short of the green. He then put his chip past the hole with a downhill put to come. Was he about to show his scrambling skills and get himself a huge par? The answer was no. He left his put agonisingly right of the the hole, the weight was perfect, it just didn’t turn at the last second. Another dropped shot for McIlory.
The tide had took an almighty turn, Justin Rose who was playing 17 was now outright leader for the first time since Friday. He had one and a half holes left to play. However, there was still plenty left to navigate on the penultimate hole for him. His tee shot meant that he was in the first cut off to the left with some trees obstructing his approach shot. His shot in ended up short right, giving him an uphill task of getting up and down to keep his one shot lead. After a great chip where he left himself less than six feet. He took his time assessing the line on every angle possible. The pin position was tough and on a slope, meaning the players had to have their full concentration. Rose slipped, his putt slid past the hole and it was an unwelcome dropped shot at a crucial time for the former US Open champion.
Meanwhile, McIlroy had yet again found himself in the first cut down the left of 15. It looked like he was going to have to lay up on the par 5. But yet again, he amazed us all he went for it and then some. He cleared the water and game himself a realistic chance at eagle. McIlroy once again, showing his greatness. There was much anticipation as he approached the green, hole this; and he would have had one arm in the green jacket. However his put would never threaten the hole, but he still two putted for an hugely significant birdie which saw yet another swing on the leaderboard. McIroy was one in front again with three holes to go.
Rose, now on 18, had the chance to get a birdie and set a score in the clubhouse. After two great shots he had 15 feet for a huge birdie. The Englishman had been putting great on the day and it ended that way. Rose holed the 15 footer and he had posted the score, with ten birdies made in the final round, 11 under was the number in the clubhouse, the number McIlroy had to beat.
While Rose was working his magic on 18, McIlroy was on 16 facing an unfamiliar pin position on the back right, for the 50 year annicersary of Jack Nicklaus’ fifth green jacket in 1975. He managed to get it right up the back and he would two put for par.
So there Rory was, stood on the 17th tee, tied on 11 under with Justin Rose, (who was now on the practice facility in hope of a playoff). His fairway wood found the middle of the fairway. He then had a tough approach shot in to get the ball to the back end of the green. He gave it everything and more, shouting; ” go ball, go!” and it did just that, it landed in the centre of the green and rolled up nicely to the hole with a realistic birdie chance. A chance he would take, he was on 12 under with just the 18th to play. He was 465-yards from golfing immortality.
Rory had been inconsistent from the tee all day, so you could forgive fans if they were watching through their fingers. However there was absolutely no need. He hit the perfect drive right down 18 and was in prime position leaving just a wedge in. Simple you would think? Not when Rory McIlroy is around. He tried to shape his wedge shot but it stayed right ending up in the green side bunker, to the shock and dismay of everyone watching. Well, maybe not Justin Rose, who was still in the practice area keeping warm.
McIlroy hit a lovely chip to about 5 feet. He’d given himself a chance at a priceless par to achieve the grand slam. With Pinehurst last year still fresh, where he missed two very close putts to loose the US Open, there was always going to be doubt. But nonetheless, Rory had a putt to win the Masters could he finally end his major drought?! Not yet, as his putt slowly went passed the hole, he would then tap in for bogey.
If we we hadn’t already seen enough drama, there was a playoff to come down 18 between Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, two Europeans, something Luke Donald would be delighted about with the Ryder Cup at Bethpage edging ever closer later this year.
Back on the 18th tee Rory did exactly what he did just 20 minutes prior, bomb his drive right down the fairway. Justin Rose did so too, but left himself a bit further back. This meant he was first to play and could pile the pressure onto McIlroy, as if there wasn’t enough of that already! Rose did just that. He played a beautiful shot in and left himself with about seven feet left. Could McIlroy follow suit and learn from his earlier mistake? The answer was yes and then some, his gap wedge shot flew into the green and went with the slope superbly, rolling down to within three feet.
Rose again had the honour and the chance to get his ball in before McIlroy, the Englishman had a fast downhill put that was a tricky one to read. As he hit it, it rolled down and at one point threatened the hole however it rolled just past, Rose tapped in for a par.
So there we were again, McIlroy had another put to win the Masters and complete the grand slam. A left to right put that was just under three feet left. he hit the putt and you could feel the anticipation at Augusta National. To Rory McIlroy’s delight, it rolled into the hole and he threw his arms (and putter) into the air in delight before collapsing to the ground in tears.
Golf has a new great in the grand slam list, a first European, and only the second player since 1965. McIlroy has put himself into golfing immortality and created headlines around the world. After trying for 11 years for the grand slam, he finally had it.
