'Welcome to the club': Tiger Woods congratulates Rory McIlroy following long-awaited Masters victory
14 April 2025, 06:14 | Updated: 14 April 2025, 11:19
Tiger Woods has welcomed Rory McIlroy to golf’s most exclusive club after his dramatic victory in the 89th Masters.
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McIlroy completed golf’s Grand Slam after he won the Masters on Sunday, following play-off drama with Justin Rose.
By winning the 89th Masters, he became only the sixth male golfer to complete the achievement.
McIlroy defeated Justin Rose on the first hole of a play-off at Augusta National to join Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen in having won all four major titles.
"Welcome to the club @McIlroyRory," Woods posted on social media. "Completing the grand slam at Augusta is something special.
"Your determination during this round, and this entire journey has shown through, and now you’re a part of history. Proud of you!"
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READ MORE: Rory McIlroy completes golf’s Grand Slam by winning Masters, after play-off drama
McIlroy’s close friend Shane Lowry joked that he could happily retire after completing the career grand slam.
"This means everything to him," Lowry told Golf Channel. "This is all he thinks about, all he talks about. He always said to me he’d retire a happy man if he won the green jacket, so I told Erica (McIlroy’s wife) he can retire now.
"He’s had a long 10, 11 years, he’s had a lot of hurdles to get over and it’s a credit to him."
Tommy Fleetwood, who finished 21st after a closing 69, added: "I’ve said it a bunch of times, I think Rory is the best player of our generation. I don’t think he’s had to prove that for a while.
"For him to have finally got this one, a career grand slam, is unbelievably special. I think this time was always going to come, it’s just Rory makes you feel like it’s not going to at some point.
"Whatever he did today, Rory’s place in golf (history) was secure, but this has just added another layer on top of that.
"I do believe he’s the best of our generation and now he’s one of the greatest of all time."
The President of Ireland Michael D Higgins joined political leaders from across the island in celebrating McIlroy’s victory, calling it a "truly outstanding achievement".
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the Holywood golfer’s “incredible” triumph placed him among the sport’s greatest.
"This is a huge moment in sporting history, and one that has filled everyone back home with great pride and that will undoubtedly inspire future generations to chase their dreams," she posted on X.
“Enjoy the well-deserved celebrations, Rory!”
Irish premier Micheal Martin described the win as “epic”.
“The Green Jacket is yours Rory McIlroy,” the Taoiseach said. “A finish for the ages at Augusta to win The Masters and complete a richly-deserved career Grand Slam. Epic achievement by one of golf’s greatest talents.”
The round had gone to a dramatic play-off after a back-and-forth between McIlroy and Rose ended with the Northern Irishman missing a six-foot putt to win in the regulation 18 holes.
The players returned to the 18th for the sudden-death play-off and after Rose missed his birdie attempt from 15 feet, McIlroy holed from three feet to complete a remarkable win and complete the career grand slam.
McIlroy started the day with a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau, lost it on the first hole and trailed by one on the next, but birdied the next two to extend his advantage amidst a pulsating atmosphere at Augusta National.
After driving into a fairway bunker on the first and pitching out on to the fairway, McIlroy hit his third shot to 18 feet and three-putted for a double-bogey six.
The four-time major winner then found more sand off the tee on the second and could only make par on a hole he had played in three under over the last two days, while DeChambeau two-putted from long range for birdie to take the lead on 11 under.
McIlroy looked understandably downhearted as he walked to the third tee but hit driver on the short par-four and pitched to ten feet to set up his first birdie of the day before DeChambeau three-putted for the second two-shot swing in the space of three holes.
An absolutely breathless start continued as DeChambeau also three-putted the fourth from just off the green before McIlroy holed from nine feet for birdie, yet another two-shot swing and a three-shot lead.
A run of four straight pars came as a welcome chance for both players to catch their breath, although McIlroy still found time to produce an amazing escape up and over the trees on the seventh, only to somehow leave the downhill birdie putt short.
McIlroy ended the par streak with a birdie from nine feet on the ninth to move four shots clear of DeChambeau, who now had company in second place in the shape of last year's runner-up Ludvig Aberg and halfway leader Rose.
Aberg had covered his first 10 holes in three under par, with Rose four under through 12 as the 2013 US Open champion revived his bid for a second major title.
Rose dropped to his knees in despair after narrowly missing a curling eagle putt on the 13th, but tapped in for a third straight birdie to close the gap.
McIlroy also let his club drop to the ground after seemingly thinking he had mishit his approach to the 10th, only to see the ball land 15 feet from the pin to set up another birdie.
Rose then closed the gap once more with a birdie on the 15th and hit a superb tee shot on the next before McIlroy amazingly found Rae's Creek with his approach to the 13th having laid up short of the green.
The resulting double bogey coupled with Rose's birdie from five feet meant the Ryder Cup team-mates were suddenly tied for the lead on 11 under.
McIlroy's bogey on the 14th briefly left Rose out in front, only for the former US Open champion to also drop a shot on the 17th.
With Aberg having made a birdie on the 15th, that meant a three-way tie between the Ryder Cup team-mates on 10 under.
McIlroy produced a stunning hooked approach to the par-five 15th to seemingly set up a decisive eagle, but missed the putt from six feet and had to settle for a birdie to reclaim the lead.
That lead only lasted a few minutes however, Rose remarkably carding his 10th birdie of the day on the 18th to complete a brilliant 66.
McIlroy edged back in front with a tap-in birdie on the 17th, only to push his approach to the last into a greenside bunker.
After splashing out to around four feet, McIlroy dragged his par putt wide to set up the first Masters play-off since Rose lost out to Sergio Garcia in 2017.
