McIlroy’s lengthy wait to finish a profession Grand Slam couldn’t have concluded in a extra dramatic style.
Having let a four-shot lead slip on the 2011 Masters, historical past threatened to repeat itself in April.
He held a two-shot lead going into the ultimate spherical this time, however reminiscences of latest near-misses got here flooding again when his benefit was worn out on the primary with a double bogey.
Three birdies in seven holes gave McIlroy a four-shot lead going into the again 9 earlier than he dropped 4 photographs in as many holes from the eleventh.
Nevertheless, the drama was removed from completed.
Having missed a putt in regulation to get his palms on the coveted inexperienced jacket, McIlroy was taken to a sudden-death play-off after his Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose birdied six of his remaining eight holes.
With the agony of previous heartbreak flooding again, McIlroy held his nerve to birdie the primary play-off gap and win his first Masters.
McIlroy let loose an enormous roar earlier than collapsing to the bottom and weeping tears of pleasure on the finish of a rare day of sporting theatre.
“A whole lot of pent-up emotion got here out on the 18th inexperienced. A second like that makes all of the years and all of the shut calls value it,” stated McIlroy.
On the Ryder Cup, McIlroy contributed three-and-a-half factors from 5 matches as Europe received on American soil for the primary time in 13 years.
The 36-year-old bore the brunt of verbal abuse from a hostile crowd all through the occasion at Bethpage Black in New York – and hit out at “unacceptable and abusive behaviour” after his spouse Erica was hit by a drink thrown by an American fan.
Having received six occasions in his eight Ryder Cup appearances, the world quantity two is being tipped to captain the aspect sooner or later.
“I’d like to be the European workforce captain sooner or later,” stated McIlroy.
“However that can be once I’m not adequate to make the workforce, or I make method for the brand new era to come back alongside.”
