Has Rory McIlroy won the Masters? Fifth major secured with career grand slam completed at Augusta National

Rory McIlroy was once thought to be the heir-apparent to Tiger Woods. Winning four major championships by age 25, McIlroy appeared poised to dominate professional golf alongside Woods for the next decade-plus, particularly in majors. He completed the third leg of his career grand slam by converting a 54-hole lead into a victory at the 2014 PGA Championship with only a Masters green jacket standing between him and history.

That was 11 years ago. It was not until Sunday until McIlroy achieved that exact history at Augusta National Golf Club by winning his fifth career major and first green jacket on his way to becoming just the sixth man in history to complete the career grand slam.

Woods was the last golfer complete that career grand slam, winning all four majors — the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship — at least once. He accomplished that feat in 2000, his fourth year as a professional, which is why so many believed McIlroy was truly following in Tiger’s footsteps given his early success in some of the toughest tournaments.

No one had reached that summit since, until McIlroy, who had been unable to conquer four straight rounds at Augusta National in 10 consecutive opportunities. His 11th such try concluded Sunday, and it required 73 holes for him to claim his first major since the 2014 PGA Championship.

McIlroy exorcised the demons of his 2011 Masters on Sunday. Holding a four-stroke lead on the entire field with 18 holes to play, he shot an 8-over 80, still his worst round to date at Augusta National, that year. He fell from 1st to T15 but quickly overcame that disappointment by winning the first major of his career, the 2011 U.S. Open, in his next significant outing.

When the career grand slam initially came into view for McIlroy, he put together the second-best effort of his career at the Masters, a fourth-place finish in 2015. His highest placement came in 2022, though he was never truly in contention during that tournament. A final-round 64 from McIlroy pulled him closer to eventual winner Scottie Scheffler than he had been all week, but a green jacket was never actually in his sights.

It was Scheffler, who also won in 2024, that sat alongside McIlroy in Butler Cabin on Sunday to present his peer with the green jacket. 

It was the crowning achievement for a man who has stood as the most successful golfer of his generation. He has now won 44 professional events, including 29 on the PGA Tour, stood at No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings across more than 100 weeks and remained one of three players to win four majors by age 25 alongside Tiger and Jack Nicklaus. Now he’s one of six to win all four major tournaments joining Tiger, Jack, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player.

Rory McIlroy at the Masters

* Career grand slam in play