“All of us have dreamed of making that putt on the 18th green to win the Masters. I’ve had some tough times along the road, but to know that a Masters trophy is home in my cabinet, that I’ll always be invited back here, that my name is going along with some of the greatest players of all time is something that will never change.” – Mark O’Meara

I’m not sure many moments in Masters history better align to the quote above than the one you just watched. The 89th edition of this great golf tournament was one for the ages, with a long celebrated player ending a very long wait. Rory McIlRoy, almost 14 years to the day since he blew a four stroke final round lead, came to Augusta looking to complete a career grand slam. He fulfilled his dream, in spite of a brush with choking again, on Sunday in a playoff surrounded by Augusta’s adoring patron’s.

To say Rory was dialed in from the jump this week would be an understatement. Outside of a blip on Thursday afternoon, the Irish native was at his best, which got him in position to win the Green Jacket on Sunday. He was paired for the final round with Bryson DeChambeau, who is a bit of a nemesis for McilRoy and fellow PGA players alike. Some thought that was Bryson and his relationship to the crowd might throw Rory off, but in reality it was Rory himself that seemingly caused his own collapse. DeChambeau fell off the pace and in stepped Justin Rose who played well all week and forced a playoff after Rory failed to seal it at 18.

The nip and tuck nature of the battle and the excitement of the weekend was only surpassed by the genuine emotion Rory showed as he won. This was a player that was predicted to be the next face of the game. If you rewind to 2011, it was a vastly different golf world. We were still living in the shadow of Tiger Woods fall from grace, which combined with his body falling apart and his game with it. Rory burst onto the scene with such authority, it makes even more incomprehensible he waited this long to win The Masters, let alone complete the Grand Slam.

But this full circle moment feels more important than just a crowning achievement for an extremely gifted player. In the interview above, McilRoy captures what is special about this tournament, and the magic it creates. His memory of watching The Masters with his dad and it inspiring him to fall in love with golf, is one I can certainly relate to, and I’m sure you have a similar feeling if you’re reading this. A win like this, following a tournament as dramatic and exciting as this one, was frankly exactly what golf needed. Especially since it stirred up the feelings this one did.

The game has been inundated with negative stories since the inception of the LIV tour and the exodus of players from the PGA to the new entity. Augusta National feels like the last place the game can come together and celebrate itself with its fans. Sir Nick Faldo said of Augusta, “the course is perfection, and it asks perfection.” In 2025, The Masters delivered perfection. So congrats Rory, and let’s hope the 2026 edition of the tournament is even half as good.

On twitter you can find Mike @Mike_Sheerin, Tyler @TMon_19 and Sean @SeanMartinNFL. Subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Check out our Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. Our podcasts are available on Spotify. Visit the Rangers Ed Shop by clicking the link on our homepage. Check out our mailbag page to join the conversation here on the site and on our partners show, The Rangers Ed Podcast! We’ll be back with more soon!