Rory McIlroy closes in on No.1 world ranking spot as Scottie Scheffler falls short at the Masters

Rory McIlroy stood at the edge of history and self-redemption on Sunday, navigating Augusta’s treacherous back nine as much with his mind as his swing. After a decade of heartbreak and close calls, the Northern Irishman seized the moment, winning the 2025 Masters in a sudden-death playoff over Justin Rose to complete the career Grand Slam—an elite club shared by just five others in the history of golf.

McIlroy had waited for 11 years to get to his first Green Jacket. With a two-shot lead entering the final round, he saw it slip away amid a string of expensive mistakes, a double bogey on the 13th. But just when Augusta appeared poised to vex him again, McIlroy buckled down, making birdies on the 15th and 17th holes, though bogeying the 18th to take it to extra holes. Then came the playoff — one hole, one shot closer, one putt dropped. “The rest is history.”

His 73-hole marathon not only delivered his fifth major and first since 2014 but also positioned him within striking distance of Scottie Scheffler in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Scheffler, who entered Augusta as the top-ranked player, faltered on key occasions, finishing tied for fourth. The door to the summit is now ajar.

Screenshot of current Official World Golf Ranking. Image via OWGR.com

As per OWGR, Rory Mcllroy is at an average point of 11.7487 which is just a few points away from Scheffler who is at 14.5508 points. Continuing the same form it won’t take long for Mcllroy to position himself at no. 1. Behind Rory Mcllroy are Xander Schauffele (avg point 7.9850), Collin Morikawa (avg point 6.7182), and Ludvig Aberg (avg point 5.8996).

Donald Trump Lauds Rory McIlroy's "Tremendous Courage" After Augusta Triumph

Rory McIlroy not only received shouts from the golf world, but he also got a high-profile shout-out from one of the game’s most powerful fans. The president of the United States, Donald Trump — a golf fan of considerable enthusiasm — was among the millions paying tribute to McIlroy’s career-defining, overcome-the-odds victory, and he sent a glowing shout-out to the Northern Irishman for his resilience and resolve.

“I have to congratulate Rory. That took tremendous courage,” Trump told reporters at Air Force One. “He was having a hard time, but it showed great guts and stamina and courage. It’s better for him that it happened that way because that showed real courage to have come back from what could’ve been a tragedy—it was amazing.”

Trump’s words came just hours after McIlroy claimed his long-elusive Green Jacket with a nerve-rattling birdie in a sudden-death playoff over Justin Rose. This wasn’t the first time McIlroy’s golfing brilliance caught Trump’s attention. Earlier this year, the two reportedly played a round together, and Trump, during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin, affectionately mentioned that he "loves" McIlroy.

From political corridors to Augusta fairways, McIlroy’s win reverberated far and wide getting him praises from every corner of the world.