Cameron Smith torched over $220m move as Rory McIlroy exorcises demons after Masters meltdown

The historic scenes came amid a grim reality for Aussie star Smith at Augusta.

Rory McIlroy has defied another final round choke at the Masters and exorcised his demons by beating Justin Rose in a playoff at Augusta, to clinch a slice of history by completing golf’s career grand slam. While McIlroy etched his name into golfing legend, the tournament provided another stark reminder about Aussie star Cameron Smith’s fall from grace after his $220 million defection to LIV Golf.

McIlroy became just the sixth man in history to win all four of golf’s major trophies, joining a list of legendary players that includes Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. McIlroy started the final round with a two stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau, who famously pipped him to clinch last year’s US Open title after a final round choke from the Northern Irishman. And those mental demons once again came back to haunt McIlroy as he looked to end one of the most staggering major trophy droughts.

At 35, McIlroy entered the final round at Augusta with the solo lead at a major for the first time since 2014—the same year he last claimed one of golf’s four premier titles. However, his two-shot advantage quickly vanished after a disastrous double bogey on the opening hole, giving his challengers an early opportunity to close the gap.

He managed to regroup with birdies on the 3rd, 4th, and 9th holes, reaching the turn in a promising position. But trouble returned on the back nine, with bogeys on the 11th and 14th holes and a costly double bogey on 13. Fortunately for McIlroy, his closest competitors faltered as well—most notably Bryson DeChambeau, who slipped down the standings during a tough final round.

England’s Justin Rose had his ups and downs too, carding bogeys on both the front and back nines. Yet, his four birdies early on and six more down the stretch briefly gave him the outright lead—until McIlroy answered back. Playing in the final group alongside DeChambeau, McIlroy birdied the 17th and knew that a par on the 18th would finally earn him the elusive green jacket, a redemption long in the making after his infamous 2011 collapse at Augusta.

Rory McIlroy wins despite latest final round choke.

McIlroy’s approach to the 18th found the greenside bunker but his third shot set up a short putt for par to win it. In scenes reminiscent of his loss to DeChambeau in last year’s US Open though, McIlroy pushed the putt wide and had to settle for a bogey that meant he and Rose would return to 18 for the playoff.

Both men hit perfect drives down the middle and when Rose hit his approach to within 15-feet of the pin, the pressure was well and truly on McIlroy. The Northern Irishman showed nerves of steel to bomb a superb approach inside Rose’s to within six-feet, before being handed the chance to win it when Rose’s birdie attempt slid just wide.

McIlroy must have had a million things running through his head having just missed a similarly short putt to win it moments earlier. But he stepped up in the face of enormous pressure and holed the putt to take his place in golfing history. Not surprisingly, the emotions came flooding out as McIlroy savoured a drought-breaking major win that had played on his mind for more than a decade.

Cameron Smith in fresh flop after $220m LIV move.

McIlroy’s remarkable victory stood in sharp contrast to Australian star Cameron Smith, who failed to make the weekend cut at Augusta after finishing +5 over two rounds. Once predicted to be a dominant force in golf alongside McIlroy and current World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Smith’s $220 million move to LIV Golf has derailed his trajectory.

After winning the 2022 Open Championship at St Andrews, Smith made the leap to LIV and has since plummeted in the world rankings from No.2 to 127th. While LIV players aren’t awarded world ranking points outside the majors due to the tour’s 54-hole format, Smith’s disappointing performance at Augusta highlights the squandered potential of a once-bright career now overshadowed by a tour many critics consider irrelevant. Tellingly, his blue jacket worn during practice generated more attention than his actual gameplay.

Renowned U.S. golf analyst Brandel Chamblee, who once believed Smith was destined to become one of the sport’s greats, expressed deep disappointment over his move. “It broke my heart,” Chamblee told CODE Sports. “He was on track to be among the greats. But now, like most LIV players, he’s practically disappeared. You only see them four times a year, and even then, their games have declined.”

Chamblee criticized the level of competition on the LIV circuit, saying the courses aren’t championship-caliber and questioning the motivation of players who’ve already been paid. “It’s not the best way to keep your game sharp,” he concluded.