Why did Rory’s win mean so much?

It was the Full Rory Experience.

On Sunday, Rory McIlroy won The Masters, not only completing the Grand Slam (winning all four majors) but breaking a ten-year drought of not winning ANY majors after winning four almost right out of the gates in his career.

It’s a terrific sports story but what had to surprise those who aren’t complete golf sickos was not just how Rory reacted to the win but how so many people watching did.

Not only an epic photo, but check out the photo credit.

Then the pure satisfaction of realizing a life-long dream…

And the overwhelming moment of realizing you FINALLY did it.

I got literally four different texts from friends saying they teared up. I also teared up as well (while sitting in the passenger seat of my wife’s car watching on the brilliant Masters app while we drove to Passover dinner). I participate in a golf Slack that was absolutely ON FIRE all day and this was the reaction when Rory finally sunk the winning putt.

All names but mine removed…but you get the idea

There are so many reasons why we root for Rory – it’s not just his prodigious talent, it’s that he is (generally) incredibly transparent and he has failed spectacularly on an international stage for so long. Since 2014, when he won both the Open and his second PGA title, he didn’t add a fifth major. But unlike others, he got SO CLOSE. Four runners-up (three U.S. Opens, one Masters) and 21 top-10 finishes overall. So many times he seemed close but lost – for different reasons.

This is so preposterously impressive it’s hard to put into words.

Nerves, certainly (Royal Portrush in 2019, several different Masters where he blew up his first round and backdoored into a top-10). Absolutely atrocious wedge play at the worst possible time (Los Angeles Country Club, Pinehurst). Playing too conservatively (St. Andrews) when the moment called for some aggressiveness. (One could also argue he lost this because Cam Smith just came out and took it.)

And basically all of this happened during the last round of the Masters.

Nerves certainly were in play on some of his putts - the first hole double bogey, missing short, makeable putts on 13, 15 and 16. His wedge on 18 cost him a win in regulation, and his wedge on 13 almost cost him the tournament. One could argue the wedge on 13 was a result of him being too conservative as well. Again, this was the Full Rory Experience ™.

Rory started the day up two shots on Bryson DeChambeau, the guy who won in Pinehurst when Rory couldn’t make the right shot or the putt when it matered.

Off the first tee, Rory was one yard short and landed in the fairway bunker, with a lie that meant he couldn’t even go for the green at all. Bryson hooked his tee shot on 1 into the trees but somehow made par – where Rory just wasn’t sharp and made what was his third double of the week. Luck once again looked like it was against Rory, but also …maybe Rory was his worst enemy.

On the next hole, once again Rory was one yard short of clearing the fairway bunker, and made par. Bryson made a horrendously bad eagle putt but drained his birdie and suddenly, Bryson had a one shot lead. And every fan – and almost ASSUREDLY Rory – was wondering if he was about to lose it again.

And then? Rory didn’t blink. By the turn, he was FOUR shots up on Bryson, who simply didn’t have his best game all week. I noted to friends that Bryson had been surviving with amazing wedge and putter play and eventually that did in fact catch up with him.

If he was thinking about 2014, it didn’t affect his shot.

And yet … in 2014, Rory stood on the 10^th tee with a four shot lead as well, and disaster struck. But Rory made a great putt for birdie and was suddenly FIVE strokes up on Bryson who couldn’t match him. This was going to happen! On 11, he pushed his drive into the trees but like he’d already done Sunday and all tournament, he saw a window. The smart play was to punch out to where he could have a good angle to chip close for a putt…but Rory was way too bold with his line and got saved by the last possible piece of grass keeping his ball out of the water. Bryson got aggressive and just rinsed his ball completely. Bryson made double and was out of the tournament (and he then bogeyed 12 as well.) Rory made a bogey at 11, but was still clearly in the drivers seat, making a comfy par on 12 and heading to 13, one of two holes that had any danger in front of him in the name of Rae’s Creek.

And this is where the Full Rory Experience ™ came into play. Perhaps forgetting that he’s Rory Effing McIlroy, he laid up. He then found himself in a perfect spot to chip left of the pin towards safety. According to Kevin Van Valkenburg, some journalists walked back to the media center to write the inevitable story of Rory’s win. And then somehow, inexplicably, Rory went RIGHT of the pin and rolled into Rae’s Creek.

This…can’t be good.

This is the kind of shot I would hit. This is not the kind of shot Rory should EVER hit – but he does. It’s quite possible the worst shot he’s ever hit in a professional golf tournament. If he hits the shot he wanted, the tournament is almost certainly over. But he ends up making his FOURTH double bogey…and meanwhile a few holes ahead of him, Justin Rose is having a DAY.

Rose led the tournament on Day 1, and somewhat faded on Saturday. On Sunday he made TEN birdies. TEN! After Rory’s double, he was well ahead of Bryson (who’d also rinsed HIS approach on 13, but rallied for a par) but was only one shot ahead of Rose. Rory then bogeyed 14 as Rose birdied 16 and suddenly, Rory was no longer in the lead.

I can’t tell you how bad I felt at this moment. It seemed to be the saddest possible outcome, a complete own goal by Rory.

And yet after a phenomenal birdie on 17, all Rory needed to do was make par on 18…and he bogeyed, going into a playoff with Rose, who had been warming up on the range and had to be in the advantage here as Rory had to be up in his head.

But instead, RoryFuckingMcIlroy smashed his drive, hit his approach to three feet and finally, finally drained the putt after Rose missed his.

This is why we love Rory, why grown men and women shared his tears as they realized he’d finally done it. His accomplishments matched his talent and his hard work and all the criticism he’s gotten both deservedly and perhaps undeservedly over the years. Many people have worked incredibly hard to win majors and gotten choked up or emotional. I can’t remember ANYTHING like what I saw with Rory, who just dropped to the green, started sobbing, collected himself and hugged his best friend and caddie Harry Diamond, and then his wife and daughter and Rose himself, etc. But the whole time he seemed to slowly be realizing what he’d done and trying to soak it in but not cry … it was just amazing.

Celebrating with your lifelong best friend has to feel good.

And another one of your oldest mates from back home as well. There will be pints.

We love Rory because he’s great, but also human. And this tournament he showed us every part of why we root for him – and yet, we no longer have to wonder, “Will it ever happen?”

It happened. And honestly, it might be just what he needed to go on a run. Who is going to bet against him at the PGA Championship in a month, held at Quail Hollow where he’s won multiple times and at one point held the course record? Without the nerves of 2019, are you betting against him back home in Northern Ireland at Royal Portrush? And at next years Masters, we won’t have to wonder if he has the game to finally do it.

Today, Rory McIlroy is clearly the best golfer in the world, and has the trophies to prove it. It was truly amazing to experience, and a tournament I doubt I’ll ever forget.