Augusta (United States) (AFP) – Rory McIlroy put major championship miseries behind him with a heart-stopping victory at the Masters on Sunday that was nearly as nerve-wracking as some of the near-misses that came before. “You know, there was points on the back nine today, I thought, ‘Have I let this slip again?'” McIlroy admitted after giving up the solo lead three times before rolling in a four-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole to beat Justin Rose. “Just a complete rollercoaster of a day,” McIlroy said. “An emotionally draining week for a lot of reasons, a lot of just rollercoaster rounds and late finishes. (I’m) absolutely thrilled to be sitting here at the end of the week as the last man standing.”
The world number two was riding high coming into the first major of the year having captured two US PGA Tour titles this year. But he had two double-bogeys in a first-round 72 that left him seven strokes off the pace and two more on Sunday to make him the first Masters winner with four doubles on his scorecard. His first on Sunday came at the opening hole, and immediately dropped him into a tie with playing partner Bryson DeChambeau. He would also double-bogey 13 before hanging on to complete the win.
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“It’s funny, walking to the second tee the first thing that popped into my head was Jon Rahm a couple of years ago making double and going on to win,” McIlroy said. “So at least my mind was in the right place and was at least thinking positively about it,” added the player who says resilience is his greatest asset. He has needed it over the years. From a crushing 2011 Masters defeat when he was just 21 to a devastating collapse over the final holes at the US Open last year, McIlroy has mastered the art of bouncing back. “Look, you have to be the eternal optimist in this game,” he said.
But after failing in 10 attempts to complete the career Grand Slam at Augusta, McIlroy was feeling the pressure on the first tee on Sunday, even after back-to-back rounds of 66 to seize the lead. “I was unbelievably nervous this morning,” he said. “Really nervous on the first hole, as you witnessed with the double.” “Knot in your stomach, haven’t really had much of an appetite all day, tried to force food down.” Despite that, and the “jelly-like” legs, McIlroy persevered. “It was a struggle,” he said. “But I got it over the line.”
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