It was Thursday, April 10, the first day of the 89th Masters Tournament, when the first echoes of chatter rang through Augusta, Georgia, the course humming with the type of anticipation and tension only the Masters can possess.
The PGA’s best gathered at the prestigious Augusta National, preparing for a weekend of precision, pressure and possibility. Among the perfectly raked bunkers and manicured fairways, amateurs and professionals alike stood shoulder-to-shoulder chasing the elusive green jacket and hoping to cement their name in Masters history beside the best of the best.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler arrived as a favorite, seeking his third overall win. Rory McIlroy was in hot pursuit of his first Masters title and a Grand Slam — winning all four major championships in his career: the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.
Beyond them, a hungry sea of 93 players stepped to the tee waiting to make their mark.
As the tournament unfolded, it became clear this weekend wouldn’t be remembered solely for the leaderboard — it was a celebration of golf’s elegance and unpredictable drama.
PRELUDE TO AUGUSTA
The season leading up to the Masters was anything but quiet. The early tournament had already delivered their share of drama, yet as April arrived, all eyes shifted to the Georgia pines.
Scheffler entered the Masters as the man to beat. With top-10 finishes at The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, including a runner-up finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he demonstrated consistent excellence. A win looked nearly automatic for him. Coming off his win at Augusta in 2024, it wasn’t a question of if he could compete — it was whether someone could stop him. Scheffler currently has a 69.473 average, ranking second on the PGA Tour behind McIlroy, however, maintaining his position as the No. 1 golfer in the world.
McIlroy, meanwhile, returned to the Masters for his 17th appearance. A Masters win was the only thing in the way of completing his Grand Slam, an achievement only five other golfers have reached: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. With a 69.163 average and four top-10 finishes this season, McIlroy arrived in strong form, hoping this would finally be his year to conquer Augusta.
Then, there’s Justin Rose, a name not as flashy in the past years, but certainly not one to undermine. Despite falling out of most top tier odds this season, Rose’s experience made him a potential dark horse with a scoring average of 71.90.
Household names like John Rahm, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth entered the week with their own points to prove while a new generation of talent joined them, ready to upend expectations.
The buzz surrounding the tournament was more than just about the competition, especially with Tiger Woods teasing a return to the Masters on April Fool’s Day.
“I can’t believe I am saying this, but a few weeks after rupturing my left Achilles, the sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber plus the explosive lifts my doctors and trainers have me ready to play the Masters next week! Can’t wait! See y’all on the course,” Woods wrote on X.
DAY-BY-DAY
After the first round of play on Thursday, April 10, Rose finished atop the leaderboard with a total of 65 — seven under — only bogeying the last hole, and birdieing or paring the rest. This moved him three clear of defending champion Scheffler — who stood tied with Corey Conners and Ludvig Aberg at four under — and marking the fifth time he has led or co-led after the first round of the Masters.
McIlroy finished at an even par (72) tied with 10 other players.
Round two showed promise as McIlroy impressively rebounded, shooting six under at 66, and making his first eagle of the tournament. This brought him to third place, tied with Conners and trailing Rose and Bryson DeChambeau. Rose still led for the second consecutive day at only shot one under.
The cut line was two-over par (146) with 53 players advancing to the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday. Several past Masters champions missed the cut, including Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Mickelson and Angel Cabrera, each struggling to find consistency.
McIlroy continued his ascent to the top in the third round, carding another 66. His four-stroke lead was cut in half when DeChambeau birdied two of the last three holes to total 69. Rose faltered slightly with a total of 75, dropping him down the leaderboard to sixth place.
The final round was a rollercoaster with McIlroy’s lead challenged by Rose after a swing to the water on the 13th, resulting in a costly double bogey. After another bogey on the 18th, McIlroy found himself in a sudden-death playoff with Rose, ultimately securing his green jacket after sinking a four-foot putt on the green for a birdie.
THE CHAMPION’S IMPACT
McIlroy’s win was such a compelling moment in golf. His victory at Augusta raked in a 12.7 million average viewer number — some of the highest golf ratings for CBS. The peak audience for Masters coverage came minutes after McIlroy’s winning putt, according to Golf.
Falling to his knees in a moment of pure relief and disbelief, McIlroy let the weight of a decade-long pursuit finally crash over him.
“There’s 10 years or 15 years of pent up disappointment and emotion and coming back to this tournament every year and wanting desperately to win and not being able to get the job done,” McIlroy said after his win. “To finally be able to do that (Sunday) and just get over that hump, it honestly just feels like a massive weight that’s been lifted off my back.”
All across social media I’ve been seeing clips of his final putt to John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” and ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All,” nearly two weeks since the tournament took place.
While I’m not one to get overly emotional at sports highlights, this moment never fails to hit me. Maybe it’s the years of buildup to this moment for McIlroy, the near-misses or the amount of patience, sacrifice and strength it took him to achieve this title.
With masses of support behind him, McIlroy received praise from renowned names in golf.
“Welcome to the club @McIlroyRory. Completing the grand slam at Augusta is something special. Your determination during this round, and this entire journey has shown through, and now you’re a part of history. Proud of you!” Woods wrote on X.
Soon after McIlroy’s win, Nicklaus called into CBS to congratulate him.
“I’m so happy for him. I’m delighted for him,” Nicklaus said. “It will take the world off his shoulders and you’re now going to see a lot more of really good golf out of Rory McIlroy.”
Watching that final putt drop and hearing the crowd erupt with cheers, it all feels like the perfect closing chapter to the story we’ve been following for far too long.
McIlroy’s win wasn’t just a win — it was a release, a redemption — it was history.
