Rory McIlroy reveals disgraced Masters champion left him note in locker room at Augusta

Rory McIlroy has revealed disgraced 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera left him a note in his locker ahead of the final round at Augusta National on Sunday.

McIlroy, 35, defeated his European Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff to win his first Masters title and become just the sixth player in the modern era to capture golf's career grand slam.

The Northern Irishman becomes the first European to achieve golf immortality.

McIlroy now joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in the record books.

Woods, 49, immediately welcomed McIlroy into the club after slipping on the coveted Green Jacket. 

Five-time Masters champion Woods admited he was "proud" of his fellow TaylorMade staffer. 

The win marks McIlroy's fifth major title and his first in nearly 11 years since the 2014 U.S. PGA. 

It was a rollercoaster final round for McIlroy. 

Just like in 2011 when he threw away a four-shot lead in the final round of The Masters en route to shooting a disastrous 80, McIlroy once again did the same in the space of half an hour on the back nine Sunday.

McIlroy bogeyed the 11th, doubled the 13th and bogeyed the 14th to fall one shot behind a fast-finishing Rose. 

But he recovered manfully with a birdie on the par-5 15th, albeit missing a golden chance from five feet for eagle. 

The second shot McIlroy drew around Augusta's pines on the 15th is considered one of the greatest shots of McIlroy's career. 

McIlroy then birdied the 17th after stuffing his approach shot to two feet, but then inexplicably made bogey on the final hole from 125 yards in the middle of the fairway when pushing his approach shot into the greenside bunker. 

The Ulsterman then made immediate amends on the first extra hole of a playoff against Rose by sticking his wedge to four feet, and he buried the putt.

McIlroy was reduced to tears as he fell to his knees on the hallowed Georgia turf. 

Prior to the final round, McIlroy admits he received a note of good luck from 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera.

The Argentine apparently left a note in McIlroy's locker because he remembered playing alongside him during his difficult day at the 2011 Masters. 

"You know, since 2011, I think it's so ironic, as well," said McIlroy. 

"I got to my locker this morning and I opened it up, and there was a note in there from Angel Cabrera, and just wishing me luck. 

"Angel Cabrera was the player I played with on the final day in 2011, it was a nice touch and a little bit ironic at the same time. 

"It's been 14 long years, but thankfully I got the job done."

Cabrera, 55, made a somewhat controversial return to Augusta National at the 2025 Masters.

The disgraced two-time major champion played in The Masters for the first time in six years since being released from prison for domestic violence offences.

He told a reporter he deserved to be back in the field. 

Any player that wins The Masters is eligible to compete in golf's first major of the season in Georgia for the rest of their career. 

Cabrera, who also won the 2007 U.S. Open, was found guilty in 2021 of numerous charges against two former girlfriends.

He was released in August 2023 after serving 30 months in South American prisons. 

Cabrera went on to miss the cut by nine shots.

He finished on 11-over following rounds of 75 and 80.