Pushed into the playoff by Justin Rose, the North Irishman won the first masters of his career on Sunday. Becoming, at 35, the sixth golfer of history only to win all major titles. Immense.
North Irish Rory McILroy finally won the Masters, completing its collections of adults, after a decade of disillusions and an unbreathable Sunday completed in play-off against Justin Rose in Augusta (Georgia, United States). After the US Open (2012), the PGA Championship (2012 and 2014) and the British Open (2014), all won over ten years ago, McILroy ended up conquering the prestigious Masters at 35, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, all authors of “Grand Chelem”.
After a play-off hole against the Englishman Justin Rose, a putt for Birdie offered the tournament at the world No. 2 which knelt on the Green, concluding an intense day of pressure. “It’s an incredible feeling. I was playing for the 17th time here, I was starting to ask myself if my time was going to come,” said Mcilroy. “For ten years I have come with this weight of the Grand Slam … I am absolutely honored, happy and very proud to be able to be called Masters champion,” he added before putting on the famous green jacket, handed over by the outgoing winner, the world n ° 1 American Scottie Scheffler, 4th on Sunday at three shots.
“Pilled emotions”
When he got on his knees, McILroy saw the arise of “a lot of emotions repressed on this hole n ° 18”. “It is this kind of moment that is well worth all missed occasions,” he added before referring to his advance of four strokes harvested in 2011, he who has indeed multiplied the sometimes heartbreaking places of honor, as last year at the US Open. The ghosts of the curse which seemed to have struck McILroy on the big tournaments appeared more frosty than ever on Sunday, while the world n ° 2 seemed to be allowed to escape a title which reached out to him.
McILroy had attacked the day with two strokes ahead of the American Bryson Dechambeau, his part partner who quickly collapsed (5th final), and seven blows ahead of Rose, who seemed a distant threat in 6th position. From the outset, McILroy was disillusioned with a double bogey that relaunched the tournament. “I bounced really well after that. Maybe this attack calmed my stress. My battle today (Sunday) was against myself. The way I answered the bad blows, that’s what I will remember from my week,” he said.
A final in legend
The North Irlandais then behaved very well and counted four blows ahead after hole n ° 10 (Birdies at 3, 4, 9 and 10). But the arm again trembled at n ° 13, finished with another double Bogey, before a Bogey at 14, which gave it temporarily behind Rose, preceding a legendary end of tournament, under the eyes of a connoisseur in delirium.
A splendid iron stroke at n ° 15 gave him an opportunity, failed, of Eagle (Birdie finally), when Rose was missing to leave her head. A new putt barely missed in n ° 16 condemned him to s. After Rose had a last birdie at n ° 18, McILroy attacked the last two holes tied with English, her destiny in hand. A magnificent new iron stroke allowed him to succeed in the Birdie at n ° 17, taking a step ahead.
After an outing of Bunker, the darling of the public offered a title opportunity on a 1.5 m putt, missed on the left, forcing it to chain on the play-off again on hole n ° 18. Where Rose was forced to take place, McILroy succeeded in a remarkable approach to win on a final Birdie. Aged 44, Rose, winner of the US Open in 2013, finished him for the 3rd time in 2nd place du Masters, which he never won. Golf ghosts may have changed their shoulder.
