Sometimes the good guy wins. Sometimes the people's champion stands tall. Sometimes the cliches and dreams that keep the sports-industrial complex humming come gloriously true.
On Sunday, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy—famous in the last decade almost as much for his failure to win the Masters as for winning the other three majors—finally added a green jacket to his collection. He did it in a suspense-packed final round that saw him edge England's Justin Rose, another crowd favorite, in a playoff.
What happened afterward became instantly iconic. Amid note-perfect production work from CBS, McIlroy engaged touchingly with well-wishers. He then turned and walked in the other direction—telling them, "I gotta go get a green jacket."
Rory McIlroy has plans to go get a Green Jacket. pic.twitter.com/SuYuCgxxgm
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) April 13, 2025
The line drew laughs and cheers from all assembled, who knew McIlroy's struggle to regain his untouchable 2010s form.
McIlroy finished the tournament 11-under, edging Rose by one stroke in the playoff. It is his fifth major championship, joining two PGA Championships, an Open, and a U.S. Open—all from 2011 to '14.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rory McIlroy Had Legendary Line to Well-Wishers Immediately After Masters Win.
