In today’s trio, I zero in on Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and what winning the Masters means to each of them.
Rory McIlroy gave everything
Today’s start marks the first time since 2014 that Rory McIlroy has held the 54-hole lead at a major. Two shots in front of the pursuing Bryson DeChambeau.
On the first tee, McIlroy flew his drive directly into the fairway bunker. He pitched up from the sand from a risky lie to 70 yards of the green. His third shot bounded past the hole, leaving a difficult putt for par early in the round. Racing his par putt past the hole, McIlroy took two more strokes from there. A big mistake early-Rory’s third double bogey of the week.
On the second, after another “poor” drive forced McIlroy to lay up, he displayed visibly negative body language. Par on the second left McIlroy wanting more. Things switched positively for him on the third. He hit a 333-yard drive and a clever bump ’n run to give himself a 9-foot birdie opportunity.
Before he made the putt on No. 3, Dottie Pepper noted, “It’s the first opportunity for McIlroy to be aggressive.”
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On the fourth hole, McIlroy laced his four iron from 232 yards to nine feet left of the hole. The pin on the fourth green tantilizes players sitting right behind the front greenside bunker. Roars for Rory sounded off as he converted the birdie putt and extended his lead after DeChambeau’s bogey.
McIlroy displayed tremendous grit on the fifth. He drove his ball 352 yards right of the fairway, where he ended up in the pinestraw with an obstructed route to the green. From the difficult lie, McIlroy navigated the window with a nine iron to left fringe off the green. He pitched up, made his par, and maintained momentum. Even though this wasn’t a flashy birdie, McIlroy needed his nerve at this moment. A par on six moved him to the seventh, where magic happened.
His drive on seven travelled 295 yards to the left rough, where it appeared that McIlroy had no window to the green. With his nine iron, he made a ridiculously fast swing that launched the ball up through the trees and just past the hole. Go back and watch this moment; it was jaw-dropping. No hyperbole. The effort resulted in a par, but the miraculous escape left a cheshire smile on McIlroy’s face.
He then made a par on eight.
McIlroy first found his driver on the ninth, where he unleashed an early walk and a club twirl quickly after the ball launched 352 yards down the fairway. Coming into the green, McIlroy only had 87 yards into the par four.
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On the ninth tee, Nantz proclaimed, “It’s nine holes to glory for Rory!”
McIlroy laced his drive on the 10th to banish the demons from his wayward miss back in 2011. From 189 yards in the 10th fairway, a weird reaction took place. McIlroy struck the ball and immediately dropped the club. Hardcore golf fans were likely reminded of Hideki Matsuyama. However, this dramatization was misleading. McIlroy’s ball landed safely on the green 15 feet from the hole. A fantastic birdie for McIlroy on a hole that has caused him such trouble over the years.
McIlroy entered Amen Corner leading by four strokes.
A bogey on 11 led to McIlroy returning to 13 under par, but others in contention slipped at the same time.
Crucially, McIlroy made it over Rae’s Creek dry. A sensible two-putt par from 31 feet pushed him forward to the 13th. Opting to lay up, he had 86 yards into the green. Inexplicably, McIlroy blocked this approach into the creek alongside the 13th green. The decision to play defensively did not work out for the Northern Irishman.
Off the tee on No. 14, his 3-wood drifts into the pinestraw off the right, and Trevor Immelman said, “His head is spinning right now.” McIlroy’s approach on the 14th came up short, leaving a difficult chip. His pitch shot ran out eight feet, and he missed the par save. Giving away strokes to the field
At this moment, McIlroy stood one behind the leader, Justin Rose.
The shot of the tournament came on No. 15 for McIlroy. Atop the hill, McIlroy hit a towering draw seven iron from 208 yards to six feet.
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Nantz proclaimed, “Shot of a lifetime!”
The eagle putt did not drop, but he regained the lead.
On 16, McIlroy made par.
After finding the fairway on 17, he had 176 yards to the hole. Again, McIlroy hit a towering draw that came to rest two feet from the hole. As the ball flew through the air, McIlroy yelled, “Go, go!” It did. McIlroy made the putt to take the lead with one hole to play.
It all came down to 18.
Ian Baker Finch stated, “Now a par at the last for a green jacket. He deserves it.”
McIlroy cheers rang out as he waited patiently on the 18th tee. In typical McIlroy fashion, he split the fairway off the tee. A 317-yard drive left a 124-yard wedge into the green. Pushed out to the right, McIlroy landed in the right bunker. From the sand, he failed to get up and down.
As a result, McIlroy headed to a playoff with Justin Rose.
On the first hole of the playoff, McIlroy’s approach into the green nestled in tightly to the hole. From the two feet, he sealed the deal.
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For McIlroy, winning the green jacket means capturing greatness across multiple levels. In terms of the Masters, McIlroy finally joins the club. After many close calls, including a heartbreaking collapse in 2011, McIlroy now validates what everyone (Tiger Woods included) has been saying. “It’s only a matter of time,” so many have noted. I am sure McIlroy always believed these remarks because he’s always believed in himself.
In the bigger picture, McIlroy becomes the sixth golfer to win the career grand slam. Joining the exclusive list of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
From here on out, McIlroy can look in the mirror and know that he conquered the tournament that evaded him for many years.
Rory McIlroy gave everything.
“My dreams have been made today,” McIlroy said.
Bryson DeChambeau slips down the leaderboard
Off the first, DeChambeau pulled his tee shot left. Forced to pitch up through trees, DeChambeau left his second shot just short of the green. Up and down from there saw DeChambeau grab a share of the lead after McIlroy doubled the first. From the second tee box, DeChambeau laced his drive 365 yards. His 219-yard approach safely found the green. A lengthy lag putt from 65 feet followed by a lengthy birdie putt, vaulted DeChambeau into the lead by himself. DeChambeau and his loyal supporters showed early excitement.
On the third, DeChambeau blinked with a three-putt bogey from 9 feet, giving up his lead as quickly as he gained it. He compounded bogeys when his tee shot on the fourth landed 25 yards left of the green, and he was unable to get up and down. Pars on five, six, seven, and eight kept DeChambeau within reach of leader Rory McIlroy.
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On the ninth green, Jim Nantz said, “Now the pressure is on DeChambeau to answer McIlroy.” Unfortunately, DeChambeau missed his birdie putt to stay four behind McIlroy. Nevertheless, he smiled during the walk to the 10th tee. Having to respond again, DeChambeau made a clutch par putt, but he lost ground as McIlroy birdied 10.
As we have seen so many times, DeChambeau made the cardinal mistake on 11. He drew his approach into the water left of the green. After dropping short of the water, DeChambeau pitched up, two-putted, and carded a deflating double bogey.
On the 12th, DeChambeau found the back bunker and failed to get up and down for par. At this point, DeChambeua essentially shot himself out of the tournament. Mopey behavior, lots of chatter to his caddie, and visible frustration strewn all over DeChambeau’s face. Once he finished the 12th, DeChambeau sat seven shots behind the leader.
A lackluster par on the 13th did nothing for the big hitter except keep him stagnant.
DeChambeau birdied the 14th but quickly gave it all back with an approach shot that found the water on 15 and settled for par.
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DeChambeau responded with an exacting birdie on No. 16.
Pars on 17 and 18 saw DeChambeau shoot an underwhelming 75.
Bryson Chambeau talked about engaging with the patrons, playing for his supporters, and relishing the stage at Augusta National all week. He did that, no matter the result.
“Will winning it happen for me? I don’t know, but I’ll give it my best.”
Justin Rose, class act in defeat
I was not planning on writing about Justin Rose today. Yesterday, Rose slipped down the leader board and out of contention, I thought. Today, he showed the world his heart.
In pursuit, Rose carded 10 birdies on the day, highlighted by his three on the final hole. His drive split the fairway, his approach finished 20 feet right of the hole. We’ve seen this putt plenty of times. Rose stepped up and buried it in the heart, to solidify his score of 11 under par. In the playoff, he pushed as hard as he could.
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What’s more important than his effort is his spirit. Rose is relentless in his chase for the green jacket. Twice, he finished second before today. In 2017, he lost in a playoff to Sergio Garcia.
Tonight, it was McIlroy’s moment.
Rose deserves praise for his class in defeat. I am sure his heart is ripped out of his chest, but if we have learned anything about Justin Rose, it’s that he’ll be back again. He has the heart of a champion, no jacket required.
To view the final results of the full tournament, visit Masters.com.
