McIlroy posts career-best at The Masters | Proud of 'incredible' finish

Rory McIlroy was proud of the way he made a late charge for an unexpected Masters victory and secured a career-best finish at Augusta National.

McIlroy's hopes of completing the career Grand Slam were effectively ended after he posted back-to-back 73s over the first two days, with the four-time major champion still 10 strokes behind leader Scottie Scheffler after a third-round 71.

The former world No 1 charged up the leaderboard when he followed five birdies in his first ten holes with an eagle-three at the par-five 13th, taking him to seven under for the round, with a spectacular bunker hole-out at the last securing a round-of-the-day 64.

"I gave it a great go, and I can't ask any more of myself," McIlroy said. "I went out there today, shot my best ever score at Augusta and it's going to be my best finish ever. Probably not quite good enough, but I'll come back next year and keep trying."

The Northern Irishman made the dream start to the final day with an opening-hole birdie and drove the par-four third green on his way to picking up another shot, with back-to-back birdies from the seventh seeing him reach the turn in 32.

McIlroy started his back nine with a birdie and rolled in a ten-foot eagle after a superb approach into the par-five 13th, taking him to seven under for his round and raising the possibility of the first '62 round' in Masters history.

Any chance of a record-low score was halted when his drive found the trees at the par-five 15th, forcing him to lay up and settle for a par, although his incredible birdie on the 72nd hole saw him close out a bogey-free final day in style and set the clubhouse target at seven under.

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