Rory McIlroy has won the Masters, beating Justin Rose on the first hole of a playoff to complete the career Grand Slam.
Canada’s Corey Conners finished tied for eighth at 5 under. The Listowel, Ont., native entered the final round in sole possession of third place four shots back of McIlroy.
Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., is the only Canadian male to ever win a major. He claimed the green jacket as Masters champion in 2003.
McIlroy becomes the sixth player to achieve a career Grand Slam, joining Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen.
What should have been a coronation along the back nine at Augusta National turned into a heart-racing, lead-changing jaw-dropping finish at golf’s greatest theater that ended with McIlroy on his knees sobbing with joy and disbelief.
He lost a two-shot lead in two shots at the start. He lost a four-shot lead on the back nine in a matter of three holes with shocking misses, one of them a wedge into the tributary of Rae’s Creek on the par-5 13th.
And right when it looked as though he would blow another major, he delivered two majestic shots when nothing less would do.
McIlroy had gone 11 years without a major.
