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Playoff! Career Grand Slam! Finally, it’s Rory

Published

1 year ago

Apr 13, 2025

There’s no way to proclaim which Masters tournament was the greatest ever. For every solid opinion, there is an equally sustainable one. One can certainly submit the 2025 playing as a candidate for this impossible quest. A golfer who had finished in the top ten SEVEN times since 2014, without winning, took the lead into the final round, after what looked like a give-away in round one. Another golfer, loser of a playoff for the title in 2017, led through 36 holes but appeared to give the tournament away himself on Saturday. Despite the presence of the 2024 U.S. Open champion in the final pairing, despite the threat of a half-dozen younglings looking to break through the major-championship ceiling, those two aforementioned golfers met in a playoff to decide the 2025 tournament.

Was that an elusive-enough, mysterious-enough introduction for you? Same here. For sure, the headline gave it away, but if not, let’s get down to facts. Rory McIlroy began day four with a two-shot advantage over Bryson DeChambeau, the man who ripped the 2024 U.S. Open from the Northern Irishman’s hands. Keep in mind that McIlroy had not won a major since 2014, when he won two of the four. Since that year, he has had five top-ten finishes in the Open, three in the PGA, and seven in the U.S. Open. That’s a total of 22 nearlies without a victory. If DeChambeau were to snatch another slam event from Rors, especially this one, it would perhaps have been the final nail.

Why this one? It’s the major that Rory needed to win the career Grand Slam. He longed to join Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as winners of the men’s four contemporaneous major titles. Rather than focus solely on his quest, McIlroy stepped intentionally into the fray that is golf’s division since 2021. He saw the health of the PGA Tour as critical for historical and future purposes. If that doesn’t wear a man down, not much else will.

His opponent in the playoff was Justin Rose. Rosie lost a playoff to Sergio Garcia in 2017, four years after he won his only major title at Merion’s 2013 U.S. Open. Rose is one of the great guys, a player deserving of everything that golf can offer. He and his wife support every possible charity and cause, and he turned down an offer to break from the PGA and DP World tours to join LIV. He was Rory Lite, standing guard over golf’s history, flawed though it may be.

How did these two golfers get to this point? What had transpired over the previous eight hours? Let’s begin with Rose. He began the day at five-under par, reeling from a third-round 75. He was an afterthought, replaced by younger, brawnier players. Rose ripped a drive into the first fairway, hit an approach eight feet past the hole, and drained the putt for the first of ten birdies on the day. That’s right…Rose made four bogeys over his final 18 holes, including consecutive ones at four and five. He let none of them bother him. On the back nine, he made par but at the 1oth. He rose to birdies across Amen Corner, posted bogeys at 14 and 17, but added three more avians at 15, 16, and 18. He put a number on the board and made those behind him take notice.

What happened next? Well, DeChambeau was the first to falter, as he made bogeys at three and four, then rinsed his approach on eleven, resulting in a double. He went deep on twelve, protecting on another visit to Rae’s Creek, and could not get up and down from the bunker. The two-time US Open champion made bounce-back birdies at 13 and 16, but a final bogey at 17 relegated him to seven-under par and a tie for fifth.

For a time, it appeared the 2024 runner-up Ludvig Aberg might sneak in and steal a new blazer and a clubhouse trophy. Aberg reached ten-under par through the fifteenth green, thanks to five birdies against one bogey. Feeling that he might need another birdie to put a scare into McIlroy, he pressed. The result was horrific. Approach to the wrong side of the 17th green, followed by a too-strong first putt, resulting in bogey. Drive on 18 into the first of two fairway bunkers, and second shot left in the bunker, resulting in triple bogey. Aberg is young and should shake off the scar tissue.

After one hole on Sunday, it appeared this would be the eighth time in eleven years that McIlroy had an opportunity and could not collect on it. He opened with six on the par four, and the nay-sayers were a-clutter in the coop. Seriously, you should see my group chat. It got better, then worse, then better again, then worse. Despite par at the second, McIlroy found his rudder with birdies at three and four. He was back to even on the day, and would gain two more shots back, at seven and eight, before another bogey found his card, at the ninth.

At thirteen, the site of so many catastrophic Masters moments, McIlroy appeared to add another. He rinsed his second and made double bogey. He followed that with another bogey at fourteen, and was back to ten-under par. With Rose in the clubhouse at 11-deep, things were grim. Forever will the 15th hole be inscribed upon Rory’s heart. It nearly undid him on Thursday, where his brashness cost him a seven. Over the next three days, he played it in four-under par, and no birdie was ever more needed, nor more buoyant, than the one he made on April 13th, 2025. McIlory stuffed an approach to 24 inches on 17, and had the lead once more. And when you thought it was over, it wasn’t.

The 18th hole is long, uphill, and curvy. It has trouble everywhere, and it caught McIlroy. He made bogey, and he and Rose were off to sudden-death and sudden-life. Both hit marvelous approach shots into the hole, but Rose was unable to bring his back off the hill. His fifteen-foot putt for three was game, but wavered. With three feet left to glory, Rory came through, and the wait was finally over.

So raise a glass of your favorite libation to the haberdasher’s newest friend. At long last, Rory Daniel McIlroy has a lifetime invitation to play the Masters Tournament each April. He moves to the Elysian rank of 15th, which is where golfers with five major titles reside. With the final monkey off his back, who knows what we might see from him in 2025? He loves Quail Hollow in Charlotte, which is the site of the PGA in May. Although he missed the cut at Oakmont in 2016’s US Open, with two majors in his pocket, the juice might be in his veins. Can you imagine the calamity if he arrives at Royal Portrush in July, needing only the Open championship to win the yearly grand slam? My goodness!

*featured image via the PGA Tour

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

14 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

3 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

3 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase