Masters nearly man Justin Rose plays huge part in McIlroy’s historic win

The 44-year-old handled another near miss at Augusta with class and his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team looks assured

Justin Rose, left, and Rory McIlroy embrace on the 18th green after finishing their round in a playoff. Pic: Kyle Terada/Sportsfile

There was one very happy man here on Monday morning, and there were 52 all in a stew, turning over thoughts of what went right and what went wrong, that short putt on the 6th, that wayward chip on 12, that sliced drive on 15, or whatever it was that cost them their shot at winning the 2025 Masters.

While Rory McIlroy can enjoy what was, everyone else in the field is wondering what might have been. Justin Rose will feel it most. Rose, the antagonist in Rory’s story, scored 65, 71, 75, 66 – the last of them, he said, “a bogey away from being the greatest round I’ve ever played”.