Rory's time! McIlroy wins Masters to complete career Grand Slam

AUGUSTA, Georgia :Rory McIlroy ended his long wait for a Masters title with a birdie on the opening hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat Justin Rose and claim the career Grand Slam after a nerve-wracking final round on Sunday.

After missing a five-foot par putt at the 18th in regulation that forced the playoff, McIlroy made sure he did not let his latest chance at major glory slip away and returned to the same hole in the playoff and put his approach two feet from the cup.

When the winning putt dropped, McIlroy raised his arms toward the clear sky and let his putter fall behind him as he dropped to his knees overcome with emotion.

McIlroy then embraced his wife Erica and daughter Poppy as chants of "Rory! Rory!" rang out around the green while he made his way toward Butler Cabin to collect the Green Jacket that he almost threw away earlier after a back-nine stumble.

"There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green," McIlroy said just before slipping on the Green Jacket during the presentation ceremony. "A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it."

With the win, McIlroy joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win each of the four major championships.

The 35-year-old McIlroy arrived at the year's first major, where in 2011 he blew a four-shot lead on the back nine, seeking his first major since August 2014 to end a barren run that came with its fair share of near misses.

For a while late in the closing round it looked like McIlroy was once again headed for major heartbreak as golfers were trading positions on the leaderboard at a mind-bending pace.

McIlroy had been in complete control when he reached the turn but