Rory McIlroy. Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Rory McIlroy details how 2011 Masters collapse helped him win 2025 green jacket

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated May 2, 2025 10:49 AM ET

Rory McIlroy's demons at Augusta National Golf Club can be traced back to the 2011 Masters, when the Northern Irishman shot an 8-over 80 in the final round to blow a four-shot lead. That memory grew increasingly more painful with each trip to Augusta that didn't result in a green jacket on his shoulders, but it helped him eventually conquer those demons.

Entering the final round of the 2025 Masters with a two-shot lead, McIlroy remembered his 2011 mistakes and brought an improved mindset to the course this time. He explained this on Thursday during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

"I approached that Sunday a little differently than, you know, say, 2011 when I had my first opportunity," McIlroy said. "I had a two-shot lead. I thought, 'if I can go out and shoot 4-under par today, I'm probably gonna win the tournament.' So, it was a way for me to make everything else irrelevant. I'm not gonna look at what my playing partner is doing. I'm not gonna look at the leaderboard. Literally, I'm gonna try to get in my own world. If I shoot 4-under par today, I'm gonna win the Masters."

McIlroy made it a point to worry only about his game and tune out every distraction on the course, which explains why he wasn't interested in talking to Bryson DeChambeau during the final round.

"Even when I doubled the first, it was like, 'well, I can still shoot 4-under par.' I know I can do that. That was the whole mindset behind it," he continued. "For me, I felt like I lost the Masters in 2011 because I started to look around. I started to look at what the other guys on the course were doing. I started to look at the leaderboard. I started to play math in my head.

"You can't control what they do, but they also can't control what you do. So, if you give yourself a target, you give yourself this objective of, 'ok, I'm gonna try to shoot 4-under par today,' that's all you can do. And if you do that, and you achieve that objective, then hopefully, [the green jacket] is the result of what you've just done."

McIlroy didn't get to his 4-under goal, but his 1-over 73 was enough to force a playoff against Justin Rose. A birdie on the 18th hole was all he needed to finally win the green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam.

"There's a good message in there about never giving up, and keep coming back," McIlroy said. "Be strong, be resilient, and you know, that patience paid off."

Jack Dougherty

Jack Dougherty has been writing professionally since 2015, contributing to publications such as GoPSUSports. com, Centre Daily Times, Associated Press, and Sportscasting. com

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