Rory McIlroy Stunningly Missed Short Putt on Final Hole to Send Masters to a Playoff

Rory McIlroy misses a putt on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2025 Masters.
Rory McIlroy misses a putt on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2025 Masters. / Via CB

Rory McIlroy had a green jacket in his hands and let it slip away.

On Sunday at the Masters, McIlroy entered the 18th hole with a one-shot lead. After hitting his second shot into a bunker he was able to get the ball up an in position for a short putt for par. If he made it, he'd have won his first green jacket and the only major that has eluded him during his career. Instead, he shocked viewers by missing it left.

He tapped home the subsequent putt for a bogey, dropped him to 11-under par and tying him with Justin Rose.

The two men are now headed to a playoff.

McIlroy's round was all over the place. He opened with a double bogey on the first hold, then had three birdies on the front nine. On the back, he totaled three birdies, but also had three bogeys and a double bogey. His final round 73 was not what he was looking for and he struggled with his putter late in the round.


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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.