April 14, 2025
Rory was too good to choke away another Major
Rory McIlroy did almost everything he could to throw away another major championship. In the long run, he is too talented for even him to find a way to lose. Yes, he choked. No polite way of saying it. But there comes a time when you've choked so much, that you can't choke much more! Talent came through with shots on 15, 16 and 17. But Rory has proven over and over that he cannot be relied upon to make a crucial putt. Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus would never have made the gross errors that Rory did.
I believe that when Rory is playing at his best, that he will beat everyone, even Tiger at his best. But Tiger and Jack could switch into another mental state and tune out distractions and have laser focus on the task at hand. Rory, as good as he is at times, doesn't have that quality.
Before the tournament started, I felt Scottie Scheffler was going to be the winner. But my hope was for Rory to finally breakthrough. The pressure to complete the career Grand Slam has weighed heavily on him and held him back from playing his best at Augusta National. The course is ideal for him, but the pressure has been too great. This year, he has shown an improvement in ball striking, maturity, and mental toughness. He was peaking at the right time, but could he overcome his demons? It's hard to pull against a truly good guy, one that is always in the spotlight and says the right things. Winning the Masters would be the feel-good story of the year.
I was very scared of the last day pairing with Bryson DeChambeau. I felt Bryson would throw Rory off his game. Right out of the box, Rory doubles the first and fails to birdie the second. Suddenly, Rory is losing. This was where a less mature Rory would fade. Fantastically, Rory was up to the challenge and Bryson was not. He was masterful from that time on until the 13th hole. During that stretch, I saw an all-time great beating up a stellar golf course and the best players in the world. Then it happened! Tiger would've stomped on his opponents and won going away, but Rory let them have life by hitting one of the worst wedge shots a world-class professional could ever hit. I let out a loud groan and yelled "NO". Here he goes again. He loses another shot at 14 and he is now behind after being up by four shots! Talent shows up on 15 with a spectacular shot. But of course, he couldn't make the putt. Another super shot on the par three and another short miss. Great shot on 17 to a putt he couldn't miss. Now par the 18th and win the tournament. Rory hits a great drive and has only a wedge left. Simple? No, a miss to the right into the bunker. That's pressure and someone that couldn't handle the moment. The word is "choke". Good bunker shot, but to no one's surprise he misses the winning putt.
Play-offs are different. Different mindset and a new start. There's a sense of freedom and you can let it out. All you have to do is beat the other person. Justin Rose hit great shots on the play-off hole, but wasn't as fortunate as Rory to have his second shot end up to near gimmie distance.
I am so happy for Rory. The monkey is off his back and his place in history is secure. But I'm not happy with how it was accomplished. This should've been a convincing victory. A statement of superiority and dominance. Instead, it was a victory of attrition and fortunately, Rory was the last man standing. Good for him, but even in my happiness for Rory, I'm disappointed. History and time will erase the blemishes and all that will be remembered is Rory McIlroy won his elusive, career fulfilling Masters Championship. That's probably the way it should be.
