Rory McIlroy took a big risk during the final round of the Masters on Sunday, and the reward was even bigger.
McIlroy pulled his drive slightly left on the par-4 7th hole at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. He left himself a bad angle into the green with some tree trouble. Most players would have tried to punch a low shot toward the green to avoid hitting the limb of a tree, but not McIlroy.
McIlroy aimed right between a set of trees and swung as hard as he possibly could. He just barely missed a branch, and the ball nearly hit the flagstick when it came down.
Even McIlroy knew how closely he had flirted with disaster, which is why he could do nothing but laugh hysterically.
Quite the escape for Rory McIlroy on No. 7. #themasters pic.twitter.com/mrgTPX3uX9
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2025
McIlroy was unable to make the short downhill putt for birdie, but he saved par from a difficult spot.
Had McIlroy been playing catch-up, the aggressive approach he took would have been a no-brainer. What made the decision even more gutsy is that he had a three-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau at the time. Had McIlroy’s ball gone mere inches off-line, it could have ended up in an even worse spot.
It is difficult to win the Masters without taking some risks, and that was not the first one we saw from McIlroy this week.
