PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN™
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PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN™
McIlroy's Masterpiece: The Long Journey to the Career Grand Slam
Welcome to a special edition of PGA Tour Countdown. Hey, it's been beautiful here in Augusta. It's been a fantastic week. We've had a great time, saw old friends and made new friends, and it really enjoyed watching the competition today. What a day. We're exhausted, we're all worn out. It's very late here in Augusta right now. I'm Frank Bassett and what we want to do is we want to bring you a couple of interviews, one from Justin Rose and the other from Roy we're tired, roy McIlroy, justin Rose, and the other from Roy we're tired, roy McIlroy. Then what we'll do is we'll bring you some additional content during the week, this next week, from Augusta, some highlights, some fun stuff, but for now, let's check out champion Rory McIlroy to welcome our 2025 Masters champion, Rory McIlroy.
Speaker 4:Congratulations on winning the 89th Masters in dramatic playoff fashion. You've now completed the career Grand Slam. Please share with us your thoughts at this moment.
Speaker 5:I'd like to start this press conference with a question myself what are we all going to talk about next year? It's look, it's a dream come true. I have. I've dreamt about that moment for as long as I can remember. I mentioned it out in the prize ceremony. But watching Tiger here in 1997 do what he did and winning his first green jacket, I think that inspired so many of my generation to want to emulate what he did.
Speaker 5:And you know, there were points in my career where I didn't know if I would have this nice garment over my shoulders. But I didn't make it easy. Today I certainly didn't make it easy. I was nervous. It was one of the toughest days I've ever had on the golf course. In a funny way, I feel like the double bogey at the first sort of settled my nerves and it's funny, walking to the second, second tee, the first thing that popped into my head was john ram, a couple years ago, making double and going on to win. So you know I at least my mind was in the right place and was at least thinking positively about it.
Speaker 5:But um, just a, a complete roller coaster of a day. Um, you know, it felt it was. It was very tricky out there. It almost felt more like a us open than Open than a Masters at some points, just with how firm and fast the greens got. But yeah, just really proud of how it bounced back from, you know, from the double on one, from the double on 13. I don't know if any Masters champions had four doubles during the week, but maybe I'm the first.
Speaker 5:But yeah, just a complete rollercoaster of emotions today and, honestly, what came out of me on the last green there in the playoff was at least 11 years, if not 14 years, of pent up emotion, you know, since 2011. I think it's so ironic as well. I got to my locker this morning and I opened it up and there was a note in there from Angel Cabrera and just wishing me luck. And Angel Cabrera was the player I played with in the final day in 2011. So just a, it was sort of it was a nice touch and a little bit ironic at the same time, and it's been 14 long years, but thankfully I got the job done.
Speaker 6:Ewan. Well done, rory. Just expanding on that and now you've done it, can you expand on the level of difficulty or torture or what it's been like coming back here every year, people speaking about you winning it, not doing it, and I suppose you probably couldn't say things at the time that you thought how difficult was that in reality?
Speaker 5:it's very difficult, I think it's. I've carried that burden since August 2014. It's been 11, been nearly 11 years. I'm not just about winning my next major, but the career Grand Slam. Trying to join a group of five players to do it, watching a lot of my peers get green jackets in the process. Yeah, it's been difficult and I've tried to approach this tournament with the most positive attitude. Each and every time that I've shown up and I think, just the sort of cumulative experience that I've gained.
Speaker 5:Coming back here each and every year, I feel like I get a little more comfortable with the shots needed I talked about. I feel like I get a little more comfortable with the shots needed. You know, I talked about it at the start of the week, but you know there's talking about it and actually doing it and, yeah, today was today was difficult. I was unbelievably nervous this morning, really nervous on the first hole, as you witnessed with the double, but, as I said, that sort of calmed me down and you know, I was able to bounce back and show, you know, that resilience that I've talked about a lot and yeah, no, look, it was a heavy weight to carry and you know, thankfully I don't have to carry it and it frees me up and you know, I know I'm coming back here every year which is lovely, Anne.
Speaker 7:Congratulations, Rory. No extraordinary achievement comes easy right. So can you describe how hard you've worked for this and how you've managed to keep the faith?
Speaker 5:Yeah, look, you have to be the eternal optimist in this game. You know you have to and I've've, you know, I've been saying it until I'm blue in the face I, I truly believe I'm a better player now than I was 10 years ago. And you know, I, I just you know it's so hard to stay patient, it's so hard to keep coming back every year and trying your best and not being able to get it done. And, um, you know, there was points on the back nine today. I thought, you know, is, you know, have I let this slip again? Um, but I, you know, again I responded with some clutch shots when I needed to. And, um, you know, really proud of myself for that. But yeah, just yeah, it's. It's been a emotionally draining week for um, a lot of reasons, a lot of just rollercoaster rounds and late finishes, and so just absolutely thrilled to be sitting here at the end of the week as the last man standing.
Speaker 4:Alex Maselli.
Speaker 8:Rory, you just said it. Where times today you thought maybe you kind of let it slip by. Can you talk about before the double at 13, when Bryson was clearly falling off and you were pretty much on your own? What happened in your mind when you started, when that happened and then you saw all those guys coming after you?
Speaker 5:Yeah, I mean I was. I thought I played the 13th hole smartly, at least for the first two shots. You know, three foot off the tee, tee laid it up into a good position, um, I had 82 yards to the pin. It had, like it went into a little valley and it was on the upslope and usually when I hit wedge shots off upslopes they come out a little bit left on me so I give myself like a couple of yards of room to the right, like obviously I wasn't aiming at the creek, but it just it came out, you know, a little weak and a little right and, um, yeah, that was, you know, to make to make a double there. Um, when it's a, you know, when it's a birdie chance, um, you know, and then seeing what, what Rosie was doing and also what Ludwig was doing at the time as well, but at the same time I knew I had 15 to play, the bogey didn't help on 14 either, but I still felt like I still felt after the tee shot on 15 that I was still in it.
Speaker 5:I think the one hole that I was not worried about, but it was sort of in the back of my mind, was 16, because that was an unusual Sunday pin on 16, probably for the 50th anniversary of Jack Hall on 75. So that was the one I've. It's a very difficult hole location and to hit the shot that I did. I think the iron shots that I hit coming in, um, you know, 15, 16, 17,. Not quite at the last in regulation but, you know, in the playoff, um you know, I made a lot of good iron swings and um, you know, I think over the last I don't know how many years, it seems that the people that lead approach at this golf tournament are the ones that usually go on to win or have a very good chance and I think my approach play for the most part this week was very good and that showed on the last few holes.
Speaker 4:Don.
Speaker 3:Rory, if you could go back in time and see yourself here on Sunday night in 2011, what would you see and what would you say?
Speaker 5:I would see a young man that didn't really know a whole lot about the world. I would yeah, I'd say I probably would see a young man with a lot of learning to do and a lot of growing up to do, and maybe I probably didn't understand myself, I didn't understand why I got myself in a great position in 2011. And I probably didn't understand why I let it slip in a way. But I think, just having a little more self-reflection, you know that experience going through the hardships of tough losses and all that yeah, and I would say to him just stay the course, just keep believing. And I would say that to any young boy or girl that's listening to this I've literally made my dreams come true today, and I would say to every boy and girl listening to this that believe in your dreams and if you work hard enough and you put the effort in that, you can achieve anything you want. Gabby Hersey.
Speaker 10:Rory, for those of us who will never know what it's like to step up on a first tee with Atush Ali at the Masters, with the career grand slam on the line, can you just walk us through what you were feeling? How did those nerves manifest? What were the bodily sensations that you were feeling?
Speaker 5:What tea? First tea? Oh, the first tea, yeah, everything that you would, you know, nod in your stomach. You know, I haven't really had much of an appetite all day, tried to force food down. Yeah, your legs feel a little jelly-like and it's those nerves that are natural and they're all good things If you weren't feeling like that. I think that's more of a problem than when you do feel them. But uh, it's just.
Speaker 5:It's such a battle in your head of just trying to stay in the present moment and just trying to hit this next shot good, and then hit the next shot good, and you know they just that's. You know that was that was the battle today. My battle today was with myself. It wasn't with anyone else. You know, at the end there it was with myself. It wasn't with anyone else. You know, at the end there it was with Justin. But my battle today was with my mind and staying in the present, and I'd like to say that I did a better job of it than I did, but it was a struggle, but you know, I got it over the line.
Speaker 4:Johnson.
Speaker 11:Rory, congratulations. By the way, Excuse me, I'm tardiness. Did anybody ask you about the second shot on 11 yet? Not yet. Okay, I feel like when you win golf tournaments, when anybody does, you need a few good breaks. I felt like today on five, not only having the shot to get it out of there, but also where your ball ended, and then when you looked at what happened to you on 11, could you see that ball stop and if you could.
Speaker 5:What was going through your mind when you saw that ball stop almost on the bank? Yeah, look, I've rode my luck all week. And again, I think, with the things that I've had to endure over the last few years, I think I deserved it. With the things that I've had to endure over the last few years, I think I deserved it. So, yeah, I you know, any time I hit it in the trees this week I had a gap. Even the second shot on seven today, which I probably shouldn't have taken on it was Harry was telling me not to. I was like, no, no, I can do this. So, yeah, I rode my luck all week and you need that little bit of luck to win these golf tournaments.
Speaker 5:And I didn't see the ball in 11, but I heard the sort of groan of the crowd as it was rolling towards there and then the cheer when it stopped. And then I obviously saw it. Actually, bryson had his shot in the water and I was looking at my ball thinking like, is that going to stay? Like, should I run down and hit it? Like should I go down and hit it and hit out of turn just to make sure it doesn't roll in. But I got down there and it was, it was on a pretty, it was like on a little flat spot, so it was okay. But um, yeah, it was was quite fortunate.
Speaker 12:Jeff, uh, rory, a couple more shots back to seven. It looked like after that shot your, your body language really changed. You even, I think, tipped your cap maybe to Bryson or somebody over there. Dottie, ah, dottie, yeah. So that shot, and then also the shot on 15 today, even though you didn't make the eagle putt, it looked like a huge draw. Can you just take us through kind of the dynamics of both shots, because they're kind of iconic, I think?
Speaker 5:Yeah of both shots because they're kind of iconic, I think they. Yeah. So seven, you know I I've had, I had problems all week with the seventh, 14th and 17th tee shots. All go in that direction. For some reason I just I had I just struggled seeing tee shots and when I hit it left, uh, you know I, I knew where the pin is. So so I knew where the pin was. So I I knew that the you know front bunker wasn't bad.
Speaker 5:Um, I could have chased it up into the front bunker, but I saw a gap and I was like, well, I could actually get this on the green and if it gets in that little bowl it could go close. So, um, it was actually a very similar shot to the shot I played yesterday on seven from the right trees, just opened up a nine iron and hit it as hard as I could. So, um, but to be able to pull it off was was pretty cool, even though I didn't hold that putt either. Um, and then 15. I think it was an advantage.
Speaker 5:I had it iron in my hand and bryson hit first and hit it in the water. You know, the breeze had just sort of freshened up, so I switched back to a seven and then hit that, hit, that shot. It was one of those where I knew it was enough to cover and if it turned, great. And if it didn't, you're sort of in that right um right trap and it's a not an easy up and down, but it's a, it's a decent miss. So that was that was the, the sort of mindset on on that one.
Speaker 4:Jim.
Speaker 13:Rory, congratulations. Can you describe the internal feeling of joy and relief when you hit your knees on the 18th hole when it was over in the playoff?
Speaker 5:that was all relief. There wasn't much joy in that reaction, it was all relief. And then, you know, the joy came pretty soon after that, but that was. I've been coming here 17 years and you know it was a good decade plus of emotion. That was that came out of of me there what did you say to justin, and vice versa?
Speaker 5:I just um, I congratulated him on a great week. Um, I said, it's we so high? Ironic how these things happen. We, uh, we were invited to a dinner by a few members of the club on Tuesday night and we were the only two players at that table and we were the ones that end up being in the playoff. It's just, it's funny how these things work. But he's a great champion. He has displayed so much. He has displayed so much grace throughout his career. Selfishly, I was happy that it was another Euro in the playoff. We're on a good run at the minute. We're Ryder Cup year and all that. But yeah, justin's a great champion. I remember watching the playoff in 17 when he went up against Sergio and that didn't quite go his way either. But he's had a phenomenal record around here and, you know, I feel for him a little bit because he's been so close. But yeah, you know he's a good friend and yeah, hopefully he has a few more opportunities.
Speaker 4:Adam. Very quick detail what's the size of your jacket?
Speaker 5:I think it's a 38 regular. How did you regroup after missing the putt on 18?
Speaker 5:uh, after scoring, harry and I were walking to the the golf cart to bring us back to the 18th tee and he said to me well, pal, we would have taken this on monday morning. All right? Yeah, absolutely we would have. So you know, that was, that was an easy reset. He basically said to me look, you would have given your right arm to be in a playoff at the start of the week. So that sort of reframed it a little bit for me. And yeah, again, I just kept telling myself just make the same swing you made in regulation. And I had a great drive up there. And yeah, and the rest is history.
Speaker 1:And what would you say has been the low point during this, this drought?
Speaker 5:There's, there's, there's been a few. It's hard because, like I've played so much good golf, it's hard to call the second place finishes and the. You know, st Andrews was a tough one to take because you only get a few opportunities there during the course of your career. The US Open last year was awful, but yeah, the losses are hard and, again, just so proud of myself that I keep coming back and putting myself in positions to win these championships.
Speaker 14:John Patrick. Congratulations, rory, you made 30 threes this week and a couple. Is that good? Yeah, that's good. Ok. And there were a couple of other numbers in there too, a couple of sevens. How, how did you navigate the second nine? Was there a lot of positive talk? How did, how, did you just get through the up and up and down of the second nine up?
Speaker 5:and down at the second nine. So I birdied 10. I bogeyed 11, which was fine, and then made a really good three on 12. Hit it where you're supposed to hit it. Two putt, move on. So I really walk into the 13th tee. I was thinking to myself I can play the next three holes in 4-4-4. That was what I was thinking. Didn't quite materialize that way, but I was really just trying to break it down into threes. I feel like I played 10, 11, 12 well. I was trying to play 13, 14, 15 well, it didn't quite materialize. And then I played 16 and 17 well, I didn't feel like I played the 18th badly and had a chance to win in regulation. But yeah, I basically just broke it down into the three hole stretches.
Speaker 4:Brendan Quinn.
Speaker 15:Hey, Rory, Earlier this week you were asked about Jack and Gary Player and Tom Watts and all picking you and rooting for you and you deftly deflected the question. And I wonder now if you can kind of speak to, I don't know, the burden that comes with history, the burden that comes with fellow greats or guys you want to count yourself amongst. What does that feel like?
Speaker 5:It's tough, it's, you know. You've had, you know, jack, gary, tom, tiger, you name it. Come through here and I'll say that I'll win the Masters one day. That's a hard load to carry. It is. It really is. These are idols of mine and it's very flattering that they all come up here and they believe in me and they believe in my abilities to to be able to, you know, win this tournament and, you know, achieve the grand slam and all that. But it, you know it, doesn't help. You know, I wish they didn't say it, but, um, but you know, I, I, I think as well. As the years have went on, I've just become more accustomed to the noise that sort of surrounds my whole Masters week and I've become a little more comfortable with it.
Speaker 4:Chris.
Speaker 16:Corey, just curious what you think the best shot you hit today was and why you feel that way.
Speaker 5:Yeah, the best shot I hit today was it could be the second on seven, but I think the most, one of the most important ones for me was the second shot on three. You know I started six, five, hit a good tee shot on three. That's not an easy second shot, bumping it up that hill, you know to judge that well and make a three there when Bryson then made five and then to go ahead and birdie the next hole as well. I thought that was a that was. You know it was very early in the round but it was a huge moment. Eamon Lynch.
Speaker 17:Rory, you and Harry grew up together in a tiny town, playing childhood games together. What does it feel like to have him standing beside you today, when you achieved that childhood dream.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I've known Harry since I was seven years old. I met him on the putting green at Hollywood Golf Club. We've had so many good times together. You, you know. He's been like a big brother to me the whole way through my life. And to be able to to share this with him after all the close calls that we've had, all the crap that he's had to take from people that don't know anything about the game yeah, this one is just as much his as it is mine. He's a massive part of what I do and I couldn't think of anyone better to share it with than him.
Speaker 4:Mike Keegan.
Speaker 18:Mike Keegan, Congratulations. I just wondered if you could talk us through your plans for tonight and the next few days. I can't imagine you'll be finishing that John Grisham anytime soon.
Speaker 5:I don't know I'll stay here tonight. I'll probably head home to Florida tomorrow. I'll probably head home to Florida tomorrow and I'd really love to see my mum and dad. They're back in Northern Ireland, so maybe a trip back home at some point during next week Will you be taking the green jacket to Old Trafford? If it can inspire some, better play absolutely. A couple more questions, claire. Congratulations, rory, can inspire some better play absolutely.
Speaker 4:Just a couple more questions, claire.
Speaker 9:Congratulations, rory. Where does this rank among the best days of your life? And just how proud of yourself, are you?
Speaker 5:It's up there. I'm not going to compare it to life moments like a marriage or having a child, um, but it's the. It's the best day of my golfing life, um, and yeah, I'm, I'm very proud of, I'm proud of how I kept coming back and dusting myself off and not letting the disappointments really get to me. I'm talking about that eternal optimist again and, yeah, very proud.
Speaker 4:Well, rory, before we go, could you take us through which clubs you use for the birdies as well as in the playoffs, just so we have that for.
Speaker 5:Sure. So the birdie on three I talked about a little. You know it was a little chip bump and run up the hill with a lob wedge, I had a five iron. On the fourth hole, the ninth hole, I had like a three-quarter lob wedge. I had a five iron. On the fourth hole, the ninth hole, I had a three quarter lob wedge in there. The 10th, I hit a eight iron. The 15th, I hit a seven iron for my second shot approach and then on 17, I hit a eight iron. And in the playoff and in the playoff I hit a gap iron. And in the playoff and in the playoff I hit a gop wedge. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Well, Rory, thank you and congratulations on this incredible accomplishment, thank you. Thank you.
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Speaker 4:PXGcom BXG. You've never played like this before. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's a privilege to welcome our 2025 Masters champion, rory McIlroy. Congratulations on winning the 89th Masters in dramatic playoff fashion. You've now completed the career grand slam. Please share with us your thoughts at this moment.
Speaker 5:I'd like to start this press conference with a question myself what are we all going to talk about next year? It's a dream come true. I've dreamt about that moment for as long as I can remember. I mentioned it out in the prize ceremony. But watching Tiger here in 1997 do what he did and winning his first green jacket, I think that inspired so many of my generation to want to emulate what he did.
Speaker 5:And you know, there were points in my career where I didn't know if I would have this nice garment over my shoulders. But I didn't make it easy. Today I certainly didn't make it easy. I was nervous. It was one of the toughest days I've ever had on the golf course. In a funny way, I feel like the double bogey at the first sort of settled my nerves. And it's funny, walking to the second tee, the first thing that popped into my head was john ram, a couple years ago, making double and going on to win. So you know I at least my mind was in the right place and was at least thinking positively about it.
Speaker 5:But um, just a, a complete roller coaster of a day. Um, you know it felt it was. It was very tricky out there. It almost felt more like a US Open than a Masters at some points, just with how firm and fast the greens got. But yeah, just really proud of how I bounced back from the double on one, from the double on 13. I don't know if any Masters champions had four doubles during the week, but maybe I'm the first. But yeah, just a complete rollercoaster of emotions today and, honestly, what came out of me on the last green there in the playoff Was at least 11 years, if not 14 years, of pent-up emotion.
Speaker 5:Um, you know, since 2011, I think it's. It's so ironic as well. I got to my locker this morning and I opened it up and there was a note in there from ankel cabrera and just wishing me luck, and ankel cabrera was the player I played with in the final day in 2011. So it was a nice touch and a little bit ironic at the same time. It's been 14 long years, but thankfully, I got the job done.
Speaker 6:Ewan. Well done, rory. Just expanding on that and now you've done it it can you expand on the level of difficulty or torture or what it's been like coming back here every year, people speaking about you winning it, not doing it, and I suppose you probably couldn't say things at the time that you that you thought how difficult was that in reality?
Speaker 5:It's very difficult, I think it's. I've carried that burden since August 2014. It's been nearly 11 years. I'm not just about winning my next major, but the career Grand Slam. Trying to join a group of five players to do it, watching a lot of my peers get green jackets in the process yeah, it's been difficult and I've tried to approach this tournament with the most positive attitude.
Speaker 5:Each and every time that I've shown up and I think just the the sort of cumulative experience that I've gained coming back here each and every year, um, I just I feel like I get a little more comfortable with the shots needed. You know I talked about it at the start of the week, but you know there's talking about it and actually doing it and, yeah, today was today was difficult. I was unbelievably nervous this morning, really nervous on the first hole, as you witnessed with the double, but, as I said, that sort of calmed me down and you know I was able to bounce back and show, you know, that resilience that I've talked about a lot and yeah, no, look, it was a heavy weight to carry and you know, thankfully I don't have to carry it and it frees me up. And you know, I know I'm coming back here every year, which is lovely.
Speaker 4:Anne.
Speaker 7:Congratulations, rory. No extraordinary achievement comes easy right. So can you describe how hard you've worked for this and how you've managed to keep the faith?
Speaker 5:Yeah, Look, you have to be the eternal optimist in this game. You know you have to and I've. You know, I've been saying it until I'm blue in the face. I truly believe I'm a better player now than I was 10 years ago. And you know, I just it's so hard to stay patient, it's so hard to keep coming back every year and trying your best and not being able to get it done. And you know, there was points on the back nine today. I thought, you know, is you know, have I let this slip again? But I, you know, again, I responded with some clutch shots when I needed to and you know, really proud of myself for that. But yeah, just yeah, it's been a emotionally draining week for um, a lot of reasons, a lot of just roller coaster rounds and late finishes, and so, just, you know, absolutely thrilled to be sitting here at the end of the week as the last man standing alex maselli rory, you just said it where you times today you thought maybe you kind of let it slip by.
Speaker 8:Can you talk about, before the double at 13, when Bryson was clearly falling off and you were pretty much on your own, what happened in your mind when you started, when that happened? And then you saw all those guys coming after you?
Speaker 5:Yeah, I mean I was. I thought I played the 13th hole smartly, at least for the first two shots. You know, three foot off the tee, laid it up into a good position. I had 82 yards to the pin. It had like it went into a little valley and it was on the upslope and usually when I hit wedge shots off upslopes they come out a little bit left on me. So I give myself like a couple of yards of room to the right, like obviously I wasn't aiming at the creek, but it just it came out, you know, a little weak and a little right and um, yeah, that was, you know, to make to make a double there.
Speaker 5:Um, when it's a, you know, when it's a birdie chance, um, you know, and then seeing what, what Rosie was doing and also what Ludwig was doing at the time as well, but at the same time I knew I had 15 to play.
Speaker 5:You know the bogey didn't help on 14 either, but I still felt, like you know, I still felt after the tee shot on 15 that I was still in it.
Speaker 5:You know, I think the one hole that I was not worried about but was sort of in the back of my mind was 16, because that was an unusual Sunday pin on 16, probably for the 50th anniversary of Jack Hall on 75. So that was the one I've. It's a very difficult hole location and to hit the shot that I did, I think the iron shots that I hit coming in, um you know, 15, 16, 17, not quite at the last in regulation but you know, in the playoff, um you know, I made a lot of good iron swings and, um you know, I I think over the last I don't know how many years, it seems that the people that lead approach at this golf tournament are the ones that usually go on to to win or have a very good chance and, um you know, I think my approach play for the most part this week was, was very good and, um you know, that showed on the last few holes done.
Speaker 3:Rory, if you could go back in time and see yourself here on Sunday night in 2011, what would you see and what would you say?
Speaker 5:I would see a young man that didn't really know a whole lot about the world. I would yeah, I'd say I probably would see a young man with a lot of learning to do and a lot of growing up to do, and, and also maybe I probably didn't understand myself, I didn't understand why I got myself in a great position in 2011. And I probably didn't understand why I let it slip in a way. But I think, just having a little more self-reflection, that experience going through the hardships of tough losses and all that, yeah, I would you know, and I would say to him just stay the course, just keep believing. You know, and I would say that to any young boy or girl that's listening to this, or you know, I've literally made my dreams come true today and I would just, I would say to every boy and girl listening to this that you know, believe in your dreams and if you work hard enough and you put the effort in that you can, you can achieve anything you want. Gabby Hersig.
Speaker 10:Sorry for those of us who will never know what it's like to step up on a first tee with Atush Ali at the Masters, with the career Grand Slam on the line. Can you just walk us through what you were feeling? How did those nerves manifest? What were the bodily sensations that you were feeling?
Speaker 5:What? Tee, first tee, oh, the first tee, yeah, everything that you would, you know, nod in your stomach. You know, I haven't really had much of an appetite all day, tried to force food down. Yeah, your legs feel a little jelly-like and you know it's those nerves that are natural and you know they're all good things. You know, if you weren't feeling like that, that's, I think that's more of a problem than when you do feel them. But uh, it's just a. It's such a battle in your head of just trying to stay in the present moment and just trying to hit this next shot good, and then hit the next shot good. You know, they just that's. You know, that was, that was the battle today. My battle today was with myself. It wasn't with anyone else. You know, at the end there it was with Justin, but you, my. My battle today was with my mind and staying in the present, and I'd like to say that I did a better job of it that I did, but, but it was a struggle, but I got it over the line.
Speaker 4:Johnson.
Speaker 11:Rory, congratulations. By the way, Excuse me, I'm tardiness. Did anybody ask you about the second shot on 11 yet? Not yet.
Speaker 11:Okay, I feel like when you win golf tournaments, when anybody does, you need a few good, good breaks. I felt like today on five, not only having the shot to get it out of there, but also where your ball ended. And then, when you looked at what happened to you on 11, could you see that ball stop? And if you could, what was going through your mind when you saw that ball stop, almost on the bank?
Speaker 5:yeah, I uh. Yeah, look, I've. I've rode my luck all week and again, I think, with the things that I've had to endure over the last few years, I think I deserved it. So, yeah, any time I hit it in the trees this week I had a gap. Even the second shot on seven today, which I probably shouldn't have taken on, harry was telling me not to. I was like no, no, I can do this. So, yeah, I rode my luck all week and you need that little bit of luck to win these golf tournaments.
Speaker 5:And I didn't see the ball in 11, but I heard the sort of groan of the crowd as it was rolling towards there and then the cheer when it stopped. And then I I, you know, I obviously saw it. Actually, bryson had a shot in the water and I was looking at my ball, thinking like is that going to stay? Like should I run down and hit it? Like should I go down and hit it and hit out of turn just to make sure it doesn't roll in? But I got down there and it was. It was on a pretty, it was like on a little flat spot, so it was okay. But, um, yeah, it was was quite fortunate jeff uh, rory, a couple more shots back to seven.
Speaker 12:It looked like after that shot your, your body language really changed you even, I think, tipped your cap maybe to bryson or somebody over there. Dotty, dotty, yeah, um. So that shot, um, and then also the shot on 15 today. Even though you didn't make the eagle putt, it looked like a huge draw. Can you just take us through kind of the dynamics of both shots, because they're kind of iconic, I think?
Speaker 5:Yeah, so seven. You know I've had problems all week with the seventh, 14th and 17th tee shots all going that direction. For some reason I just struggled seeing tee shots and when I hit a left, you know I knew where the pin is, or I knew where the pin was, so I knew that the front bunker wasn't bad. I could have chased it up into the front bunker, but I saw a gap and gap and I was like, well, I could actually get this on the green if it gets in that little ball, it could go close. So, um, it was actually a very similar shot to the shot I played yesterday on seven from the right trees, just opened up a nine iron and hit it as hard as I could. So, um, but to be able to pull it off was was pretty cool, even though I didn't hold that putt either.
Speaker 5:And then 15, I think it was an advantage. I had 8 iron in my hand and Bryson hit first and hit it in the water. You know the breeze had just sort of freshened up, so I switched back to a 7. And then hit that shot. It was one of those where I knew it was enough to cover and if it turned, great. And if it didn't, you're sort of in that right trap and it's not an easy up and down but it's a decent miss. So that was the sort of mindset on that one.
Speaker 13:Jim Rory, congratulations. Can you describe the internal feeling of joy and relief when you hit your knees on the 18th hole when it was over in the playoff?
Speaker 5:That was all relief. There wasn't much joy in that reaction, it was all relief. And then you know, the joy came pretty soon after that, but that was. I've been coming here 17 years and you know it was a good decade plus of emotion that came out of me there. What would you say to Justin and vice versa?
Speaker 5:I just I congratulated him on a great week. I said it's so ironic how these things happen. We, uh, we were invited to a dinner by a few members of the club, uh, on tuesday night and we were the, the only two players at that table, and we're the ones that end up being in the in the playoff. It's just, it's funny how these things work. But, uh, he's, he's a great champion. He has displayed so much, uh, grace throughout his his career.
Speaker 5:Um, you know, selfishly, I was happy that it was another euro in the in the playoff. We're on a good run at the minute. We're, you know, ryder cup year and all that. So, um, but yeah, you know, justin's a, a great champion and I remember watching the playoff in 17 when he, um, when he went up against Sergio and and that didn't quite go his way either, but he's, he's had a phenomenal record around here and, um, you know, I I feel for him a little bit because he's been so close. But um, yeah, you know he's, he's a good friend and um, yeah, hopefully he has a few more opportunities adam very quick detail what's the size of your jacket?
Speaker 1:I think it's a 38 regular how did you regroup after missing the putt on 18?
Speaker 5:uh after scoring, harry and I were walking to the the golf cart to bring us back to the 18th tee and he said to me well, pal, we would have taken this on monday morning. All right, yeah, absolutely we would have. So you know, that was, that was an easy reset. He basically said to me look, you would have given your right arm to be in a playoff at the start of the week. So, um, that sort of reframed it a little bit for me. And um, yeah, I, you know again, I just kept telling myself just make the same swing you made in the in regulation and I had a great drive up there.
Speaker 1:And um, yeah, and the rest is history and what would you say has been the low point during this, this drought?
Speaker 5:um, Um there's, uh, there's, there's been a few. It's hard because, like I've played so much good golf, um, it's hard to call. The second place finishes and the you know. You know the St Andrews was a tough one to take, Um cause you only get a few opportunities there during the course of your career. The US Open last year was awful. The losses are hard Again, just so proud of myself that I keep coming back and putting myself in positions to win these championships.
Speaker 14:John Patrick. Congratulations, rory, you made 30 threes this week and a couple. Is that good? Yeah, that's good. Okay, and there were a couple of other numbers in there too, a couple of sevens. How, how did you navigate the second nine? Was there a lot of positive talk? How did, how, did you just get through the up and up and down of the second nine? So.
Speaker 5:I, uh, when I birdied 10 um, I bogeyed 11, which was, which was fine, and then made a really good three on 12, hit it where you're supposed to hit it to put putt, move on. So I really walk into the 13th tee. I was thinking to myself I can play the next three holes in 4-4-4. That was what I was thinking. Didn't quite materialize that way, but I was really just trying to break it down into threes. I feel like I played 10-11-12. Well. I was trying to play 13, 14, 15. Well, it didn't quite materialize. And then I, you know, I played 16 and 17. Well, I didn't feel like I played the 18th badly and had a chance to win in regulation. But yeah, I basically just broke it down into the three hole stretches.
Speaker 15:Brendan Quinn. Hey, Rory, Earlier this week you were asked about Jack and Gary Player and Tom Watts and all picking you and rooting for you, and you deftly deflected the question. And I wonder now if you can kind of speak to, I don't know, the burden that comes with history, the burden that comes with fellow greats or guys you want to count yourself amongst. What does that feel like?
Speaker 5:It's tough, it's, you know, you've had, you know, jack, gary, tom, tiger, you name, it come through here and I'll say that I'll win the Masters one day. That's a hard load to carry, you know, especially, you know it is, it really is, and you know these are idols of mine and it's look, it's very flattering that they all come up here and they believe in me and they believe in my abilities to be able to, you know, win this tournament and, you know, achieve the Grand Slam and all that. But it, you know it doesn't help. You know I wish they didn't say it, but, um, but you know, I, I, I think, as well as, as the years have went on, I've, I've just become more accustomed to, to the noise that sort of surrounds my whole master's week and you know, I've become a little more, you, you know, comfortable with it.
Speaker 5:Corey just curious what you think the best shot you hit today was and why you feel that way. The best shot I hit today was it could be the second on seven, but I think the most, one of the most important ones for me was the second shot on three. I started 6-5, hit a good tee shot on three. That's not an easy second shot, bumping it up that hill To judge that well and make a three there when Bryson then made five and then to go ahead and birdie the next hole as well. I thought that was a. That was. You know it was very early in the round, but it was a huge moment. Eamon Lynch.
Speaker 17:Rory, you and Harry grew up together in a tiny town, playing childhood games together. What does it feel like to have him standing beside you today, when you achieved that childhood dream.
Speaker 2:Eamon you achieved that childhood dream Amen.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I've known Harry since I was seven years old. I met him on the putting green at Hollywood Golf Club. We've had so many good times together. You know, he's been like a big brother to me the whole way through my life. And to be able to to share this with him after all the close calls that we've had, all the crap that he's had to take from people that don't know anything about the game um, yeah, this one you know this one is. You know just as much as it is mine. He's a massive part of what I do and I couldn't think of anyone better to share it with than him.
Speaker 4:Mike Keegan.
Speaker 18:Congratulations. I just wondered if you could talk us through your plans for tonight and the next few days. I can't imagine you'll be us through your plans for tonight and the next few days. I can't imagine you'll be finishing that?
Speaker 5:John Grisham anytime soon. I don't know. I'll stay here tonight. I'll probably head home to Florida tomorrow and I'd really love to see my mum and dad. They're back in Northern Ireland, so maybe a trip back home at some point during next week. Will you be taking the green jacket to Old Trafford? If it can inspire some, better play absolutely.
Speaker 4:Just a couple more questions, claire.
Speaker 9:Congratulations, Rory. Where does this rank among the best days of your life and just how proud of yourself are you?
Speaker 5:it's up there. You know I'm not going to compare it to life moments like a marriage or having a child, but it's the. It's the best day of my golfing life, um, and yeah, I'm. I'm very proud of myself. I'm proud of um never giving up. I'm proud of um how I kept coming back and dusting myself off and not letting the disappointments really get to me, talking about that eternal optimist again. Yeah, very proud.
Speaker 4:Well, rory, before we go, could you take us through which clubs you use for the birdies as well as in the playoffs, just so we have that for sure, um.
Speaker 5:So the birdie on three I talked about a little. You know it was a little chip, uh, bump and run up the hill with a lob wedge. Uh, I had a five iron. On the fourth hole, uh, the ninth hole, um, I had a like a three-quarter lob wedge in there. The 10th, I hit an eight iron. The 15th, I hit a seven iron for my second shot approach, and then on 17, I hit an eight iron, and in the playoff, and in the playoff, I hit a gop wedge. Yeah, great. Well, rory, thank you and congratulations on the incredible accomplishment. Thank, had a Gap Wedge.
Speaker 4:Yeah, great. Well, rory, thank you and congratulations on this incredible accomplishment Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:Well, there you go. I hope you enjoyed the interviews. We certainly had a great time here in Augusta. We're going to leave the media center here in a little bit. Go, try to find something to eat and have maybe a glass of wine or two, or four, or 12, or bottles, who cares? It's been a long week and a fun week.
Speaker 2:Congratulations to Roy McElroy. What an incredible achievement. The Grand Slam, wow. He did it. He's only the sixth man to have ever done it. It's an incredible feat. Folks so proud of him and so proud of his statements that he made to his little girl and to the kids and young people out there that never give up on your dreams. Never give up. He went 11, some would say 14 years carrying this monkey on his back. He finally did it and he is a fine example, in our opinion, and hopefully yours, of what a Masters champion should be like. Thanks everybody. Thanks to the Golf Talk America Network, thanks to PGA Tour Countdown staff, thanks to Invitee Clubs, thanks to PXG, thanks to Indeed and all of the other people who help support us all throughout the years of these broadcasts. For everyone at PGA Tour Countdown and the Golf Talk America Network, I'm Frank Bassett saying have a great evening.