Rory McIlroy’s new Grand Slam question, Bryson DeChambeau gets the silent treatment and the surprise return of a golf legend

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Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we feel fortunate after returning from Augusta National, where we got to be up close to watch an all-time great put on a virtuoso performance. I will never forget seeing Dave Matthews on the eve of the 2025 Masters:

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What? You thought I was talking about someone else? Yeah, yeah, it was great watching Rory McIlroy make golf history, too, but I was “So Damn Lucky” to see this intimate 10-song set at the DraftKings/Sports Illustrated “Augusta After Dark” party. Of course, I felt similarly being one of the “Ants Marching” around Augusta National. And most of those people are glad Rory didn’t “Crush” them on Sunday afternoon. So grab a “Rye Whisky” (Rory fans needed something stiff watching that wild Sunday) and let’s talk about everything happening in golf.

WE’RE BUYING

Rory McIlroy: Is it (finally) his time?! YES! After all the years and close calls, not only is McIlroy a major champ again, but that elusive Masters title completes the career Grand Slam. Let’s get into that a bit more, but first, let’s take another look at what’s arguably the greatest reaction in golf sports history:

Sports! What an amazing scene. Of course, it wouldn’t have been so dramatic if Rory didn’t seemingly win and lose the tournament multiple times on the final day. He made three bogeys and a double on the back nine alone! But in the end, he delivered when it mattered most with two perfect shots—how many amazing shots did he hit last week?!—on the first playoff hole to set up a near tap-in birdie.

McIlroy was already going to go down as an all-time great, but now he’s a truly a historical figure in the game joining the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen as only the sixth player to win all four majors. There are many who consider Phil Mickelson a top-10 player ever, and now McIlroy has arguably passed him. Yes, he still trails Lefty by one major and 16 PGA Tour titles, but there’s a good chance that the 35-year-old bests those marks and maybe even gets to double-digit majors. And remember that Mickelson has never won a PGA Tour POY or been ranked World No. 1 like McIlroy has numerous times with both.

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So congrats, Rory. Both on winning the green jacket and for not having to answer questions about your major drought or completing the career Grand Slam again. Although, at least for the next month, you can expect a lot of “Can you win the CALENDAR Grand Slam?” questions. And considering the PGA Championship is at Quail Hollow, a place he’s owned, and the Open Championship is at Royal Portrush, a place he’s owned since he was a kid, it’s actually not a crazy question!

Justin Rose: As awesome as it was to see Rory finally win a green jacket, it was tough seeing this guy lose in a playoff again. Aside from Tiger in 2019, the two most tense Masters I’ve ever attended among my dozen trips to Augusta National were this and 2017, which both resulted in Rose heartbreaks. But this 44-year-old Englishman should hold his head high. Like he did during his Open Championship runner-up last year, he played some amazing golf:

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Harry How

And if you look up “Class,” in the dictionary, you should find a photo of him. This photo:

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Well played, Justin.

Bryson DeChambeau: The two-time U.S. Open champ didn’t win, but in a different way, this was as impressive as those titles. For one, based on the past two years, Bryson has clearly gotten comfortable at Augusta National, a place that gave him fits for years. For another, the dude had his D-game when it came to his irons, and yet he played himself into Sunday’s final group before finishing T-5. Oh, and the game’s top entertainer still gave us awesome moments on the course like this:

And away from the course like this:

Like with Rory, it just seems like a matter of time before he slips a (slightly bigger) green jacket on.

WE’RE SELLING

Rory “snubbing” Bryson: This story went viral on Sunday night, and I get it, but it’s really such a non-story. I’ll let Steve Scott, who lost to Tiger Woods in the final of the 1996 U.S. Amateur, explain:

Rory was locked in trying to make history. Some people would want to distract themselves from that, but others wouldn’t. End of story. Don’t take it (too) personally, Bryson.

The Sunday hole location at Augusta National’s 16th: I appreciate the Masters wanting to celebrate its own history, but they moved one of the most famous Sunday pin positions in golf for the final round to do so.

We didn’t get a Nicklaus-in-1975 moment with that back-right location, although Rose made birdie and McIlroy nearly did. Still, putting the pin on the left side and allowing players to use that big slope (Think: Tiger in 2005 and Tiger in 2019) creates so much excitement down the stretch. Hopefully, they go back to that in 2026.

Peeing in Rae’s Creek: At least, in front of thousands of people. Apparently, during non-tournament rounds, Augusta National is looser with its urination rules, but it was pretty bold of reigning U.S. Amateur champ Jose Luis Ballester to do it in the woods off No. 13 during the first round. Of course, someone saw it. And of course, someone asked him about it. And of course, it became a big Day 1 story.

To the young man’s credit, he handled it well and apologized to the club. So it wasn’t a, um, piss-poor effort all around. But we’re guessing all future Masters rookies will be reminded not to do this.

ON TAP

The regular, old PGA Tour returns with the RBC Heritage, AKA that tournament they play at Hilton Head, AKA that one Scottie Scheffler showed up to last year having just won a green jacket and wound up winning. Actually, this is being played again as a signature event, so it’s really not the regular, old PGA Tour. And while that’s good news for golf fans coming down from that Masters high, that still seems crazy from a players’ perspective. The LPGA Tour returns with the JM Eagle LA Championship, and the DP World Tour rolls on with the China Volvo Open. Oh, and the PGA Tour will be testing out its new slow-play policy … on the Korn Ferry Tour. Hey, it’s a start! Plus the PGA Tour is also starting its nine-event trial with allowing players to use Distance Measuring Devices.

Random tournament fact: It’s been 15 years since Brian Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself for touching a loose impediment in a hazard with his backswing to lose a playoff to Jim Furyk. Poor Brian never won a PGA Tour title (although he did make more than $10 million in his career). And even worse (for him)? That wouldn’t be a penalty anymore thanks to rules changes implemented in 2019. Tough.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—A playoff will be lost this week on a self-called penalty: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds

—There will be a slow-play penalty on the Korn Ferry Tour: Even odds

—There will NOT be a slow-play penalty on the PGA Tour: LOCK

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Timely. Brilliant. Hilarious. Forget “Tweet of the Week,” that’s one of the greatest (golf) tweets ever.

PHOTO(S) OF THE WEEK

A couple favorites from our Golf Digest guys, J.D. Cuban:

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And Stephen Denton:

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Great stuff, guys.

VIRAL VIDEO(S) OF THE WEEK (MASTERS-RELATED DIVISION)

First, this green jacket celebration by Texas A&M’s baseball team—after a grand slam. Talk about foreshadowing what was to come on Sunday!

Love that. Although, there’s a very good chance they get a letter from Augusta National. Then there were Chris Vernon’s latest batch of Masters updates:

The new Collin Morikawa part, “If he lose, he ain’t talkin’! If he lose, he go walkin’!” was my favorite. And, finally, check out the celebration by the people at Rory’s Northern Ireland home club go crazy on the winning putt:

And they would have gone even crazier but drinks had stopped being served two hours earlier due to its license.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (LEGENDS DIVISION)

Fantastic news, everyone! Club Pro Guy is coming BACK! And with Jon Hamm announcing the news!

Amazing. The guy still has an elite punch-out game. Can’t wait to see what he does next.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

We always hear about “fathers and sons” in regards to the Masters, but this embrace between a father and a daughter was as good as it gets:

And as a girl dad myself, I’m not to afraid to admit I was crying as well. Ugh, now I need to get another tissue …

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

There were plenty at Augusta National from members like Peyton and Eli Manning to reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen to WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark and even my guy Russell Wilson, who I said what’s up to (Go Giants!). But one of the coolest stories of the week involved the great Ken Griffey Jr., who was on the grounds all week working as a photographer:

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And The Kid got the shot on Sunday evening!

What a legend.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I’d like to start this press conference with a question myself. What are we all going to talk about next year?” —Rory McIlroy. Great line!

But don’t worry, Rory, we’ll think of something.

THIS AND THAT

The Masters Sunday TV ratings were up 33 percent from last year and it was the most-watched golf telecast since the 2018 Masters. The lesson here? Patrick Reed in contention at majors is good for business. … Nick Dunlap’s first-round 90 got talked about a lot, but how about that second-round 71 by the young man? Even more impressive were his comments to the media after. Heck, the fact that he talked at all after was impressive. … Speaking of bouncebacks, good for Max Homa to not only make his first real cut since last year’s Open Championship, but to finish T-12 to earn an invite to next year’s Masters. He also made a lot of people betting against him pay. … And, finally, shout-out to co-worker Will Irwin for introducing me onto Pibb Zero Sugar:

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Fantastic stuff. But since it only seems to be sold in the South, now I’m mad at Will for getting me hooked.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Should I pay to have Pibb Zero Sugar delivered?

Does Rory McIlroy like Dave Matthews?

Will this Masters week ever be topped?

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com