Rory McIlroy put main championship miseries behind him with a heart-stopping victory on the Masters on Sunday that was almost as nerve-wracking as among the near-misses that got here earlier than. “You already know, there was factors on the again 9 as we speak, I believed, ‘Have I let this slip once more?'” McIlroy admitted after giving up the solo lead 3 times earlier than rolling in a four-foot birdie putt on the first playoff gap to beat Justin Rose.
“Only a full rollercoaster of a day,” McIlroy stated. “An emotionally draining week for lots of causes, a variety of simply rollercoaster rounds and late finishes.
“(I am) completely thrilled to be sitting right here on the finish of the week because the final man standing.”
The world quantity two was driving excessive coming into the primary main of the 12 months having captured two US PGA Tour titles this 12 months.
However he had two double-bogeys in a first-round 72 that left him seven strokes off the tempo and two extra on Sunday to make him the primary Masters winner with 4 doubles on his scorecard.
His first on Sunday got here on the opening gap, and instantly dropped him right into a tie with enjoying associate Bryson DeChambeau.
He would additionally double-bogey 13 earlier than hanging on to finish the win.
“It is humorous, strolling to the second tee the very first thing that popped into my head was Jon Rahm a few years in the past making double and occurring to win,” McIlroy stated.
“So no less than my thoughts was in the correct place and was no less than considering positively about it,” added the participant who says resilience is his biggest asset.
He has wanted it through the years. From a crushing 2011 Masters defeat when he was simply 21 to a devastating collapse over the ultimate holes on the US Open final 12 months, McIlroy has mastered the artwork of bouncing again.
“Look, it’s important to be the everlasting optimist on this sport,” he stated.
However after failing in 10 makes an attempt to finish the profession Grand Slam at Augusta, McIlroy was feeling the stress on the primary tee on Sunday, even after back-to-back rounds of 66 to grab the lead.
“I used to be unbelievably nervous this morning,” he stated. “Actually nervous on the primary gap, as you witnessed with the double.”
“Knot in your abdomen, have not actually had a lot of an urge for food all day, tried to power meals down.”
Regardless of that, and the “jelly-like” legs, McIlroy persevered.
“It was a battle,” he stated. “However I bought it over the road.”
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