“Rory McIlroy finally has his Masterpiece,” echoed the words in the air when McIlroy finally made that birdie putt on the 18th at Augusta and fell to his knees to celebrate the most special win of his career. Then it was legendary Tiger Woods who warmly welcomed him to the exclusive club with a heartfelt message on social media. “Welcome to the club @rorymcilroy. Completing the grand slam at Augusta is something special.” It was truly a momentous achievement that captivated the golf world. Tom Kim felt the weight of this historic victory, too.
The young Korean star was completely wrapped up in McIlroy’s historic final round at Augusta National. “I never really felt that nervous for someone else before,” Kim revealed at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson press conference. The 22-year-old couldn’t hide his admiration as he watched his fellow golfer join golf’s most elite group. “This guy’s trying to chase history, and it’s taken him so long to be able to do that and to be in the position that he’s at, it’s unimaginable.” This Masters, a lot was at stake for Rory. A career Grand Slam. Pressure to end the 11-year major drought, having won 2 PGA Tour events before that for the first time in his career.
McIlroy certainly didn’t make it easy on himself or his fans. The Northern Irishman entered the final round with a two-shot lead but stumbled with early bogeys. He then battled back only to falter again on the 18th hole. This rollercoaster performance forced a playoff with Justin Rose. “He definitely made it a lot harder on himself than it should have been,” Kim noted with a hint of understatement. “I think he kept everyone on their toes for, I think, three hours.”
Jun 2, 2023; Dublin, Ohio, USA; Tom Kim stands on the ninth fairway during the second round of the Memorial Tournament golf tournament at the Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
The significance of this victory cannot be overstated. McIlroy had been chasing the career Grand Slam since winning his fourth different major at the 2014 PGA Championship. The Masters remained his white whale. Six top-10 finishes at Augusta, including a heartbreaking runner-up in 2022, only amplified the pressure. Every April brought renewed expectations, only to be met with the same crushing disappointment.
That all changed this year when McIlroy became just the sixth player in the Masters era to complete the career Grand Slam. He joined the elite company of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. He displayed on the 18th green after sinking the winning putt, reflecting every ounce of that decade-long struggle when he fell to his knees and hugged his caddie Harry Diamond with tears in his eyes. “The emotions that let out on the 18th green were so real and raw,” Kim observed. The display of raw emotions continued as the fans cheered for him, or when he hugged his wife Erica, and daughter Poppy, continued winner’s walk with tears in his eyes, and that warm hug with Shane Lowry and Justin Rose’s wife was all pure bliss.
Kim has developed a unique relationship with McIlroy over the past few years. Their bond began forming during Kim’s first Masters experience in 2023. “I got to play with Rory my first Masters on Monday, the practice round, and the first two days,” Kim recalled. That experience gave him rare insight into McIlroy’s mindset at Augusta. “I could just see, even no matter how you try, you can still personally only imagine what he’s feeling, the pressure that he’s feeling.”
Kim himself is struggling this season. He has 3 Tour wins to his name, but this season has been subpar. He’s making his 11th start this week, first since Augusta. “I’m trying to stay really, really patient in what I’m doing, not trying to push when it’s hard because there’s an expectation in myself and a belief in myself to perform the way that I know I can. And to not be able to do that personally, it’s frustrating,” he said of his game.
For Kim, this wasn’t just about witnessing history from afar. The connection runs deeper.
Tom Kim’s personal connection with Rory McIlroy
Their relationship has grown through several memorable interactions. In 2022, Kim famously “invaded” McIlroy’s press conference at the CJ Cup. The young star playfully grabbed a microphone and asked the four-time major winner for advice on handling early success. McIlroy responded with thoughtful guidance, leading to a warm embrace and the beginning of a mentor-protégé dynamic.
The pair have since been paired together multiple times, including at the Genesis Scottish Open and RBC Canadian Open. McIlroy has even referred to Kim as a “little brother” figure on tour. This connection makes Kim’s emotional investment in McIlroy’s Masters victory even more meaningful.
Kim believes McIlroy’s breakthrough will fundamentally change golf’s competitive landscape. “He finally got over the major hump so it’s going to be a lot more challenging for us to compete,” Kim admitted. The Korean star understands what this means for the future. With the pressure of completing the Grand Slam finally lifted, golf fans might be witnessing the beginning of a new, more dominant chapter in McIlroy’s already legendary career.
Do you think McIlroy’s long-awaited Masters victory will inspire more major championship success in the coming years?
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