Rory McIlroy’s 2025 Masters Win Joins Mount Rushmore, Is It Best Ever?

The 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club was one of the most dramatic tournaments any fan will ever witness. There were an unbelievable amount of twists and turns, dramatic lead changes, and an eventual playoff between Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose.

McIlroy bested the Englishman on the first playoff hole to capture his first Green Jacket.

Golf fans at home were glued to the television set, as proven by the Masters television ratings revealed on Monday. And how could they not be?

Whether you like McIlroy or not, it is impossible to deny his greatness. But with that greatness comes his faults, with both playing out Sunday.

But we will get to that.

Following what was a truly historic Sunday at the Masters, it got me thinking of the Mount Rushmore Masters Tournaments. Does this one belong? Is it the greatest Masters Tournament ever? The most dramatic?

In order to examine that, first we must name the four greatest tournaments at the season’s first major.

Mount Rushmore of Masters Tournaments

Let us begin with the fact that narrowing Masters Tournaments down to the four greatest is practically impossible. There have been so many memorable moments at Augusta through the years.

Whether that was Larry Mize chipping in on the back nine in 1987 to defeat Greg Norman. What about 2012. That was the year Bubba Watson hit one of the most incredible shots you will ever see from the pine straw, in a playoff no less, to win the Green Jacket.

I would be remiss if I did not also mention the Shot Heard Round the World. In 1935, Gene Sarazen recorded a double eagle, holing out from 235 yards on the par-5 15th on his way to Masters glory.

But I have to draw a line, and they did not quite make the cut to be on the Mount Rushmore of Masters Tournaments.

Here are my four greatest Masters.

Tiger Woods Wins 1997 Masters

In 1997, a 21-year-old Tiger Woods made his Masters debut. Following a tough front nine on Thursday, his remaining 63 holes might be the highest level of golf anyone has ever seen.

Woods blitzed the course with rounds of 66-65-69 from Friday through Sunday. The 270 total strokes became the fewest in Masters history, as he finished at 18-under par. The next closest golfer was 12 shots back.

Yes, you read that right. He beat the entire field by a dozen strokes.

Some people will point to the fact that the PGA Tour was not nearly as deep as it is today. That may be true. But that having an impact on how great a performance this was is a non-starter knowing he set the scoring record.

Oh, and did I mention he was 21. Woods became the youngest Masters champion ever.

Sam Snead Beats Ben Hogan in 18-Hole Playoff in 1954

The two best players of their era, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan provided golf fans a treat in 1954.

They were already the two biggest names in the sport at that time. From 1949 through 1954, one of them took home five of the six Green Jackets.

But this year was special.

Hogan held a three-shot lead entering the final round, but struggled to get much going that Sunday. He carded a 3-over 75. Meanwhile, Snead shot an even par, setting up an 18-hole playoff on Monday.

Could you imagine watching Tiger and Phil, or Jack and Arnie play an 18-hole playoff against each other for a Masters title. A true head-to-head duel.

Ultimately, it was Snead that wrestled the title away from Hogan, winning by one shot. I only wish I was around to witness that drama.

Jack Nicklaus Wins 1986 Masters at 46

Many people revere the 1986 Masters Tournament as the greatest ever played.

Jack Nicklaus, at age 46, did the unthinkable and won his sixth Green Jacket. He did so in dramatic fashion, too.

This tournament happened during one of the golden eras of golf.

As Nicklaus teed off that final Sunday, he trailed Seve Ballesteros, Nick Price, Greg Norman, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, and Tom Kite. Those are all some of the best players to ever play the greatest game on Earth.

Talk about an uphill climb for a player who had last won a major championship in 1980.

As the Golden Bear made the turn, he was four shots back of Ballesteros. The proceeding nine holes might be why many people have Nicklaus, and not Woods, as the greatest golfer of all time.

Nicklaus carded five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 15th to come home in 30. He was in the clubhouse at 9-under, sitting, waiting to see if anyone would catch him.

No one did.

Rory McIlroy Completes Grand Slam in 2025

Alas, we have reached this year’s tournament.

Rory McIlroy snapped his 11-year major drought by completing the career Grand Slam at the Masters. He joined the aforementioned Nicklaus, Woods, Sarazen, Hogan and Gary Player as the only six to ever accomplish the feat.

But it was how it transpired on Sunday that made it a thing to behold.

2025 Masters Breakdown

The entire tournament provided a near-impossible amount of storylines.

McIlroy was in position toward the end of Thursday to be near the top of the leaderboard. But double bogeys on 15 and 17 derailed his day, dropped him to even par and seven shots off the lead.

But the Northern Irishman played beautiful golf over the next two days, turning in back-to-back rounds of 66. That provided a two-shot lead entering Sunday.

It would have been three shots, had Bryson DeChambeau not stolen the momentum with the final shot on the course on Saturday. The 2024 U.S. Open champion, who had surpassed McIlroy on the 72nd hole to win that title, made a 48-foot birdie putt from off the green to close his round.

It set the stage for Sunday. The face of the PGA Tour paired with the face of LIV Golf (you can argue Jon Rahm or Brooks Koepka are better and more accomplished, but DeChambeau is undeniably the face of the Saudi-backed circuit).

Only Corey Conners was even within five shots of McIlroy entering the final round. It appeared to be as close to the aforementioned 18-hole duel from 1954 we had ever seen.

Then the round happened.

Sunday’s Final Round Maybe Most Dramatic Ever

In less than an hour, McIlroy had blown the lead and DeChambeau was ahead by a stroke. Ninety minutes later, DeChambeau had fallen apart with three bogeys and a double to essentially fall out of contention.

Following McIlroy’s birdie on 10, he briefly held a five-shot lead. He would cruise to a title, right? Wrong.

Less than an hour later, the lead was gone. He bogeyed 11, setting up his third on the par-5 13th, which will go down as one of the worst shots anyone will ever see at Augusta National.

He plunged his approach woefully short into the water, eventually making double bogey. Meanwhile, Justin Rose was catching fire and took a one-shot lead for a moment.

But as McIlroy had done so many times before, he showed heart, guts and resiliency. His seven iron on 15 will also go down in Masters lore, but this time as one of the most incredible shots you will ever see.

“The shot of a lifetime,” CBS announcer Jim Nantz said.

But it being McIlroy, faults and all, he missed the short eagle putt, tapping in for birdie to pull even with Rose.

More Heartbreak for McIlroy

Both players remained at 11-under until Rory hit a beautiful approach on 17. This time he made good, sinking the birdie putt to get to 12-under. He just needed a par on 18 and the grand slam was his.

Despite his approach finding the bunker, he hit a very solid bunker shot to four feet. It was four feet for a title.

Fans at home were likely having flashbacks to last year’s U.S. Open collapse.

History repeated itself, as he inexplicably missed the putt. Even PGA Tour pro Sahith Theegala, watching on television with his family, was in disbelief.

We were headed to a playoff.

I can only imagine what was going through McIlroy’s mind at that time. On three separate occasions, he let a lead slip away on Sunday at the Masters.

And every time, he showed why he is one of the greatest players ever and a true legend.

McIlroy hit a fantastic shot coming in on 18 to two feet. Following a missed 10-footer for Rose, McIlroy tapped in for the winning putt.

Did you see his reaction? The mountain of weight being lifted off of him.

Not only had it been 11 years since he was promised to be the next Tiger that never was. He had dealt with one heartbreak after another at major championships.

It left so many to call him a fraud — a then four-time major champion a fraud. I don’t know if I have ever seen a professional athlete under as much pressure as he was that Sunday.

I also cannot recall that much raw emotion from any athlete, ever.

Football players, basketball players, any athlete from team sports can always rely on their teammates to some degree. Nothing will actually fall squarely on any of their shoulders, as much as the public likes to want it to.

But in golf, it does. It is just you out there. You are playing yourself, playing the course.

As a die-hard, passionate fan of almost every sport, I appreciate greatness. I may not like Patrick Mahomes, but I appreciate his greatness. I was livid when Steph Curry beat my Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals a few years back. But in retrospect, I admire and respect Curry’s greatness.

The same can be said for Rory McIlroy. He earned this, faults and all.

And now, he is a grand slammer as Happy Gilmore put it!

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