Masters champ Rory McIlroy makes comment about private life ahead of PGA Tour return
Grand slam winner Rory McIlroy revealed before the PGA Tour's team event how he celebrated his Masters victory back home in Northern Ireland.
Rory McIlroy says he couldn't be in a better place 'personally and professionally' after he completed the career grand slam at the 2025 Masters.
McIlroy beat Justin Rose in a playoff at Augusta National earlier in the month to end a 10-year wait for a major championship victory.
The 35-year-old, unsurprisingly, decided to skip last week's PGA Tour event at Hilton Head to celebrate his career-defining achievement.
McIlroy told reporters before the Zurich Classic of New Orleans the first thing he did was fly to London with his wife Erica and daughter Poppy.
They visited the mansion they are building on the uber-exclusive Wentworth estate, McIlroy said.
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Then McIlroy went to Northern Ireland to visit his parents Rosie and Gerry.
He also caught up with his long-time coach Michael Bannon and relaxed with caddie Harry Diamond and his wife.
"Look, it's not every day you get to fulfil one of your lifelong goals and dreams," McIlroy said. "It's been an amazing few days.
"And to be able to reflect on it and everything that happened and the magnitude of everything, I think the big thing for me is just how the whole journey sort of resonated with people and the people that have reached out to me.
"That's been absolutely amazing."
McIlroy said he spoke to two presidents 24 hours after that exhausting Sunday afternoon.
All sorts of people reached out to pass on their congratulations.
"People that you would never even think that would watch golf or would know what's going on, that was very, very humbling, I guess," McIlroy said.
"I think people can see themselves in the struggle at times, and everything that you sort of try to put into getting the best out of yourself in that journey.
"I think people watching someone finally get it done, something they've been trying to do for a decade plus, I think it resonated with a lot of people."
McIlroy endured heartbreak in the major championships in 2024.
He led the U.S. Open by two strokes with three holes to play but surrendered his lead.
Bryson DeChambeau then got up-and-down from the sand on the 72nd hole to pip him by one stroke.
McIlroy told reporters in the immediate aftermath of his victory at Augusta what transpired at Pinehurst No.2 was 'awful'.
"I spoke to two presidents the day after and people from all walks of life"
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) April 23, 2025
Rory McIlroy says his Masters victory "resonated with a lot of people" pic.twitter.com/Tbl9E0gy7B
He went on to miss the cut at The Open at Royal Troon a month later.
McIlroy went into the 2025 Masters as the red-hot favourite given he had already won twice.
"If you had asked me a year ago if I'd be sitting here in this position and everything that's happened [I wouldn't have believed you]," McIlroy said.
"But yeah, I honestly could not be in a better place in my life professionally, personally, all of it.
"It's amazing what a year can do."
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