There’s finishing a tournament in style and then there’s what Rory McIlroy did during his final round at the 2022 Masters.
McIlroy was on fire all day. He came to the final hole at seven-under. But after hitting his tee shot into a fairway bunker, his approach shot landed in the greenside bunker, leaving a tough up and down for par. Well, it would be tough for most golfers. For McIlroy, the up and down was a non-issue. He just got down, making a birdie to send himself — and the patrons around him — into a frenzy.
It was the perfect end to a flawless round.
The 64 tied the Masters record for lowest final round in tournament history.
While that was the end of McIlroy’s round and tournament, it didn’t end his experience on the 18th hole. When the crowd settled down, McIlroy’s playing partner, Colin Morikawa had his own bunker shot to hit. The two had already matched each other with eagles on the 13 hole.
On 18, Morikawa again followed McIlroy’s shot with some magic of his own.
McIlroy’s 64 moved him into the clubhouse lead and second overall. Morikawa’s 67 moved him into a tie for third place. Short of winning the tournament, neither could have asked for a better outcome on Sunday.