McIlroy’s lengthy wait to finish a profession Grand Slam couldn’t have concluded in a extra dramatic style.

Having let a four-shot lead slip on the 2011 Masters, historical past threatened to repeat itself in April.

He held a two-shot lead going into the ultimate spherical this time, however recollections of current near-misses got here flooding again when his benefit was worn out on the primary with a double bogey.

Three birdies in seven holes gave McIlroy a four-shot lead going into the again 9 earlier than he dropped 4 pictures in as many holes from the eleventh.

Nevertheless, the drama was removed from completed.

Having missed a putt in regulation to get his palms on the coveted inexperienced jacket, McIlroy was taken to a sudden-death play-off after his Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose birdied six of his closing eight holes.

With the agony of previous heartbreak flooding again, McIlroy held his nerve to birdie the primary play-off gap and win his first Masters.

McIlroy let loose an enormous roar earlier than collapsing to the bottom and weeping tears of pleasure on the finish of a unprecedented day of sporting theatre.

“Quite a lot of pent-up emotion got here out on the 18th inexperienced. A second like that makes all of the years and all of the shut calls price it,” stated McIlroy.

On the Ryder Cup, McIlroy contributed three-and-a-half factors from 5 matches as Europe gained on American soil for the primary time in 13 years.

The 36-year-old bore the brunt of verbal abuse from a hostile crowd all through the occasion at Bethpage Black in New York – and hit out at “unacceptable and abusive behaviour” after his spouse Erica was hit by a drink thrown by an American fan.

Having gained six occasions in his eight Ryder Cup appearances, the world quantity two is being tipped to captain the aspect sooner or later.

“I might like to be the European group captain in some unspecified time in the future,” stated McIlroy.

“However that shall be after I’m not adequate to make the group, or I make manner for the brand new era to return alongside.”