Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland birdied the first playoff hole with a short putt after missing a chance to win in regulation, capturing the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam on Sunday in Augusta, Ga.
McIlroy's 1-over-par 73 left him tied with England's Justin Rose, who posted 66 and waited for McIlroy to finish. They both shot 11-under 277 for the week.
Re-playing the 18th hole at Augusta National Golf Club, McIlroy's approach shot rolled back toward the hole and inside Rose's ball. After Rose missed a birdie attempt and notched a par, McIlroy didn't flub another chance for a victory.
McIlroy needed par at No. 18 to win in regulation, but after blasting from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole he rolled a 5-foot par putt too far to the left.
The new champion recovered from a near-disastrous stretch on the back nine to birdie the 17th hole for a brief one-stroke lead. McIlroy's bogey on No. 11, double bogey on No. 13 and bogey on No. 14 appeared to send him on track for another final-round collapse at a major.
But instead, McIlroy recovered for a birdie on the par-5 15th hole then stuck his approach on No. 17 and sank the putt to take the lead.
It marked the fifth major championship for McIlroy, and his first since capturing the PGA Championship for the second time in 2014.
Rose, seeking his first Masters title, had six birdies and two bogeys across the last eight holes, finishing with a 20-foot birdie putt.
It was a pulsating round of golf.
McIlroy started the day with a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau, lost it on the first hole and trailed by one on the next, but birdied the next two to extend his advantage amidst a pulsating atmosphere at Augusta National.
After driving into a fairway bunker on the
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