Some sports are rich in history. The Masters is drenched in it. And when Rory McIlroy finally sank that four-footer to win the 2025 tournament in a playoff over Justin Rose, he didn’t just earn a green jacket—he earned a place in the mythos of Augusta National, among the spirits of legends whose moments still echo down Amen Corner and across the pine straw.
It’s a course where greatness is magnified, missteps become tragedies, and every swing feels cinematic. So rather than debate where Rory’s long-awaited triumph ranks among the tournament’s all-time moments, let’s do something better—recognize it as another chapter in a living masterpiece.
McIlroy’s Masters Moment: A Decade in the Making
Rory McIlroy’s career had everything but Augusta. Four majors. World No. 1 status. Epic wins, bitter near-misses. But the green jacket—the missing piece for a career Grand Slam—eluded him for over a decade despite contending in nearly every way imaginable.
When he dropped to his knees and sobbed after the final putt dropped on the first playoff hole this year, it wasn’t just a win—it was release. A burden lifted. A dream realized. A whisper of history becoming a full-throated roar.
And while we may never agree on its exact place in the Masters pantheon, there’s no denying it now belongs in the conversation.
So here are 10 moments that define the Masters magic per Bleacher Report.
10. Jeff Sluman’s Forgotten Ace (1992)
A hole-in-one at Augusta is rare. One at No. 4, the longest par-3 on the course? Unprecedented. Sluman’s 213-yard ace wasn’t even televised, but it remains the only one ever at that hole in tournament play—a feat no one else has touched.
9. Phil Mickelson Flirts with Disaster (2010)
The shot that defines Phil. 207 yards from pine straw, trees in the way, Rae’s Creek waiting. He goes for it—and clears it. A 6-iron missile that screams audacity, even if he missed the putt. He won the Masters anyway. Of course, he did.
8. Bubba’s Hook Heard’ Round the Pines (2012)
Playoff hole. Ball buried in the trees. Bubba Watson pulls a 40-yard hook with a gap wedge from the pine straw to 15 feet. It’s a shot that makes no sense on paper—and perfect sense at Augusta.
7. The Bear Roars in ’75
Jack Nicklaus’ 40-footer at 16 wasn’t just clutch but psychological warfare. Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf could only watch as the Golden Bear made hearts sink and history rise.
6. Phil Breaks the Curse (2004)
Before he was a major champion, Phil Mickelson was golf’s nearly-man. That changed when his 18-footer on 18 found the cup. His celebratory leap was more vertical hope than athleticism—but symbolic just the same.
5. Larry Mize Says “No” to Greg Norman (1987)
From off the green on 11, in a playoff against the World No. 1. Mize chips in for birdie to win the Masters in the most unlikely finish anyone could imagine. It was local magic from Augusta’s own.
4. Gene Sarazen’s Double Eagle (1935)
They called it the “Shot Heard’ Round the World.” A 4-wood from 235 yards for albatross on 15 that erased a three-shot deficit instantly. Sarazen went on to win a 36-hole playoff. Golf’s legend began here.
3. Tiger’s Impossible Chip (2005)
A left-of-the-green lie at 16. A chip that trickled, turned, and hung on the lip. Then fell. Tiger Woods defies physics, cameras, and time itself. He’d go on to win in a playoff. But that ball drop was the real victory.
2. The Beginning of a Dynasty (1997)
Tiger Woods. Age 21. A 12-shot win, the lowest score ever. He redefined what greatness looked like—on his terms, in his skin, with the world watching. That embrace with his father? It’s Augusta’s soul on film.
1. Jack’s Last Roar (1986)
At 46, they said Jack Nicklaus was done. But he birdied five of the last nine, culminating with a putt on 17 that broke the hearts of the field and made Verne Lundquist’s “Yes, sir!” eternal. Major No. 18 is a miracle in time.
Now Rory Joins Them in Masters History
He may not have changed the game like Tiger or defied time like Jack, but he won the Masters the hard way—through heartbreak, pressure, and doubt. And that final putt? It wasn’t just for a trophy. It was for his legacy.
Because at Augusta, when the moment is right, even the long-awaited becomes legendary.
