At The Masters on Sunday, Rory McIlroy was not about to let anything get in the way of him finally completing the career Grand Slam. Not past collapses, not direct rivals and not one of his long-standing Ryder Cup teammates.
The whole week arguably felt a little different for McIlroy. He started on fire before a stumble near the end of round one dampened the optimism slightly. After Thursday’s action, he chose to skip media duties in a bid to retain that one-track mind which would ultimately help McIlroy win The Masters.
Nevertheless, the Northern Irishman’s play continued to be sensible but often aggressive at the right times, with two sensational rounds on Friday and Saturday catapulting him towards fulfilling his dreams.
Heading into Sunday, the whole mood around the 35-year-old had changed. Before, there had been hope. Now, there was expectation. And McIlroy knew it.
Paired with the man who had usurped him to the US Open title at Pinehurst No.2 a matter of months earlier, their respective approaches to attempting to seal a maiden Green Jacket could hardly have been more stark.
The outgoing personality of Bryson DeChambeau soaked up the acclaim and tried to engage with external factors as much as possible. Meanwhile, McIlroy wore a steely look of determination throughout and acknowledged the patrons only after holing putts or to give low-fives on the way to a tee box.
The five-time Major winner’s demeanour did not go unnoticed by his playing partner, who suggested he would have been more than happy to converse if McIlroy had wanted.
DeChambeau was asked after completing his round how he thought McIlroy would fare in the upcoming playoff against Justin Rose, to which the American replied: “No idea. Didn’t talk to me once all day.”
Pushed on the atmosphere out on course as a member of the final group, the LIV golfer said: “Electric. I loved it. But he was just like — just being focused, I guess. It’s not me, though.”
Another follow-up question was put to DeChambeau later in his post-round interview, specifically ‘Did you try and initiate conversation with Rory at all?’ but the 31-year-old simply stated: “He wouldn’t talk to me.”
The weight of self-imposed pressure on McIlroy to deliver was evident. With one chance to secure The Masters wasted in regulation, the World No.2 collapsed to the floor after making his second in the playoff as over a decade of emotion flooded out of him.
During his interview in the Butler Cabin afterwards, McIlroy explained how tough it had been to rock up at Augusta National every year with so many people not just hoping but seemingly expecting him to fulfil his potential.
He said: “It feels incredible. This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. I think the last 10 years coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that, yeah, I’m sort of wondering what we’re all going to talk about going into next year’s Masters.
“But I’m just absolutely honored and thrilled and just so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion.”
‘I WANTED TO CRY FOR HIM’
McIlroy’s journey to the Green Jacket was far from serene, though, with a double bogey at the first preceding a shocking second double-bogey of the round (and fourth of the week) at the 13th. In between, there were four birdies and a bogey which had helped McIlroy re-establish his lead.
Having opted to lay up on Amen Corner‘s par-5, leaving himself with a fantastic angle looking straight down the green, McIlroy got too cute with his chip towards the flag and watched his ball slide off down into Rae’s Creek which separates the fairway from the putting surface.
He made tough work of getting up and down with his next ball but eventually marked down a seven on his scorecard – later becoming the first Masters champion ever to have four double-bogeys throughout the week.
Thankfully, for the Northern Irishman, his error on 13 didn’t cost him dearly. Nevertheless, DeChambeau admitted that while he still harbored his own ambitions of success, he was emotional watching McIlroy go about his own business.
The popular American said: “I wanted to cry for him. I mean, as a professional, you just know to hit it in the middle of the green, and I can’t believe he went for it, or must have just flared it.
“But I’ve hit bad shots in my career, too, and it happens. When you’re trying to win a major championship, especially out here, Sunday of Augusta, the Masters, you have to just do it and get the job done and do it right.
“There were times where it looked like he had full control and at times where it’s like, what’s going on. Kind of looked like one of my rounds, actually.”
