Rory McIlroy finally ended his long wait for a fifth major title as he won the Masters in incredible fashion.

McIlroy triumphed at Augusta National for the first time as he scooped his first major win since 2014, becoming the sixth player to win the career Grand Slam in the process.

Yet the Northern Irishman very nearly threw it away in what would have been one of the all-time collapses, and he required a play-off to defeat a resurgent Justin Rose, who came so close to pulling off one of the great comebacks.

Playing ahead of McIlroy, Rose – who also lost a play-off to Sergio Garcia at Augusta in 2017 – carded a superb 66 to finish on 11 under par and pull back a seven-shot deficit from overnight.

Rose might have won it if not for a bogey on 17, though he recovered with a sensational putt on the last to finish on 11 under, having sunk 10 birdies.

But it was what came before then that had already ensured this day will go down as one of the most remarkable, and instantly memorable, in the history of the Masters.

A moment he’s long dreamed about. #themasters pic.twitter.com/Anr78Kj4l8

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2025

McIlroy started poorly, double bogeying the first hole, but made up ground with three birdies to reach the turn in a commanding position.

Yet a dropped shot on the 11th kickstarted an incredible wobble. McIlroy then skewed a wedge into the water on the 13th, which he double bogeyed, while Rose chipped away at his lead ahead of him.

A bogey on the 14th set McIlroy back to 10 under, but he instantly bounced back on the 15th. He followed that with an exquisite iron onto the green on the penultimate hole, teeing up a simple finish and putting him into a one-stroke lead with one last hole to play.

There would be another twist in this extraordinary finale, though, as McIlroy sliced into the bunker.

A well-executed chip out of the sand set up a six-foot putt, yet McIlroy angled it agonisingly wide.

Back to the 18th immediately, two solid drives set the duo up nicely, and Rose put the pressure on with a brilliant drop onto the green.

McIlroy, though, sent in one of his best shots of the tournament, landing it with just enough backspin to roll within six feet of the hole he had missed only 15 minutes prior.

This time, it was Rose who watched his putt trickle half an inch wide.

And though Rose recovered to make par, McIlroy did not let a second chance slip, as he sealed his place in history before collapsing to the green in jubilant relief. 

pic.twitter.com/BvCDW49fMt

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2025

McIlroy, embraced by Rose at the end, is the first player since Tiger Woods in 2000 to complete the career Grand Slam.

Around the drama involving McIlroy and Rose, other challengers had dropped away.

Bryson DeChambeau, second overnight, carded a three-over-par 75 to finish T5 with Sungjae Im, behind 2018 champion Patrick Reed and two-time winner Scottie Scheffler, who finished on nine and eight under, respectively.

Ludvig Aberg, meanwhile, dropped three shots across the last two holes to finish in seventh on six under, one stroke ahead of Xander Schauffele, Zach Johnson, Jason Day and Corey Conners.