Seven irons on the 15th and 17th holes almost secured the green jacket, but McIlroy lifted the putt on the 18th putt, which gave the playoff space against Justin Rose. Finally, his outstanding shot from the gap wedge scored a victorious birdie and won the playoffs and lifelong honors of becoming a masters champion.
Unlike Tiger Woods, who runs for the great, McIlroy needs rare perseverance. He must deal with suspicion and pain. Humiliation and hurt. Pain accompanied him because he fell for ten years. Finally, the shelves were full, and his shoulders could wear the jacket they dreamed of vets for their whole life.
McIlroy made less than four dents on Thursday, threatening to be wet again in Augusta. Pain accompanied every step of the Northern Irish, surrounding the woods of Georgia. This week, though, Rory showed significant resilience not only rebounded, but also soared into a scramble in 66 back-to-back games. McIlroy proposed to the fairway bunker in the first two holes, and his driver did not clear the danger twice.
A two-stroke swing on the opening hole put both men in trouble at 10 strokes. McIlroy’s overnight gains were wiped out before anyone could even bind his heart. McIlroy almost kneeled as his ball landed on the cover of the second fairway, which was evident in his manner. However, at the age of 35, he seemed to have found a new determination, and his brain was obviously strengthened with some steel. Early nerves may have solved Rory. The weight was transferred to Bryson, who admitted it with a three-and-four bogey. Rory’s determination delivered the birds just when he needed it, shaking the battle back to the corner. When the two arrived at the fifth tee, they separated again. The gap is now three, and frustration hangs on Bryson’s bag.
McIlroy was trapped behind trees to the left of the fairway on the seventh hole and brought a storm swing to the ball with his Nine Mion. McIlroy burst into laughter as soon as he saw the ball and the flag, leaning towards his hat, witnessing some magical golf balls for a crowd of fascinated people. Even if he put the ball in the bunker from the middle of the fairway, his rival Dechambeau wouldn’t miss the fun. Bryson kicked the ball to the left of the flag, grabbing the slope with only two feet of par left. It’s a heavyweight showdown filled with horrible fists, interrupted by pure artisticity. When he reached Amen’s corner, he moved to the mat under 14 years old. Fate seemed to accompany him every step. But, Chase backpack refused to surrender, patting his heel with great determination. Justin Rose, Ludvig Aberg, Patrick Reed and Corey Conners all push their case hard. The course laughed; the leader surrendered. DeChambeau began to wilt on the eleventh, never recovering from a double bogey. Rory had a bogey after barely staying in the bank. McIlroy still has a three-point lead, but it’s a shaky mat. Rose hangs under 15 holes with 10 hope. Schaffler scored eight in the group behind Rose, and Aberg scored 14th with nine. The cast of this epic drama changes in the crucible of Amen Corner. The satellite seemed to have restored Rory’s gait as he approached every step he took around Augusta National. The air around the valley felt heavy in the pursuit of undeniable greatness. Rory bent forward in frustration as he dunked on his third shot on 13. When he saw the pain on the top of the list was pure theater. Double bogey stabs his soul, his face reflects its pain. Ross even scored 11 in the 16-year-old birdie, his seventh hole. The masters were thrown away.
McIlroy succumbed to the lead when McIlroy hung heavily on his 14-year-old lips. Leader Rose two days later returned to control. But as tensions escalate, he will glide over the 17th Cup and create an exciting tee lock in the leads of McIlroy and Aberg. Win magic in Augusta. McIlroy found some violent seven irons, flying a rope through the first cut on the left of the 15-year-old. The smile is back. He exhaled the pressure accumulated in bogey at eleven o’clock, and doubles were at 13. McIlroy returned to the lead, but only. His putter slid over the right edge at 18. The playoffs brought the smell of roses to glory, but McIlroy proved to be the same as the occasion. Now, he will live in the company of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, and is the only one with a professional Grand Slam.
