"I was overwhelmed": Rory McIlroy stuns Tonight Show audience by revealing a special surprise message he received after Masters win

Rory McIlroy says he was overwhelmed by the flood of messages following his long-awaited win at the 2025 Masters ,but none stood out more than hearing from Tiger Woods and Sir Elton John. Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the newly crowned Masters champion reflected on the emotional weight of completing golf’s career Grand Slam, 11 years after his last major.

McIlroy told Fallon that after winning the Masters in a playoff against Justin Rose, one of the most special messages came from Tiger Woods himself. “Woods said, ‘Welcome to the club, kid,’ which was just so cool,” McIlroy recalled.
He added, “There are only six people who have ever achieved the career Grand Slam in golf, and there are only four of us who are living, Gary Player, who is 90 years old, Jack Nicklaus, who is 86 years old, and then Woods and myself, so it's really cool to be a part of something like that.”

While he expected messages from the golf world, what stunned McIlroy most was a call, almost, from Sir Elton John. “I was overwhelmed with the people that reached out from all different walks of life, whether it was culture or entertainment,” he said. “But the one that got me was Sir Elton John. That was incredible.”
He explained that Elton John's assistant left a voicemail: “Sir Elton would love to congratulate you in person. The only problem is he doesn't have a cell phone, so you might get a phone call from a number in Windsor, England, from a landline.”
Laughing, McIlroy added, “I didn’t even know if Elton John knew what golf was.”

McIlroy’s victory at Augusta came after years of heartbreak. He beat Justin Rose in a playoff to become the first European and sixth man in history to complete the career Grand Slam, a feat he had chased for over a decade.

“Seriously, it was so emotional. I was just thinking, ‘Thank goodness that is over,’” McIlroy said. “It was the 17th time playing the tournament. On my third time playing, way back in 2011, I had a four-shot lead going into the final round — wasn’t able to win.”
“So it had been 14 years since that, 11 years trying to achieve the career Grand Slam. I go back every year, put my positive hat on, go with a good attitude and every time I leave on that Sunday night and it wouldn’t happen.”
He admitted he began to doubt whether the moment would ever come. “You start to think, is it ever going to be your time? Did I miss it? Have I lost my opportunity? I think there's a good message in there about never giving up, keep coming back, be strong, be resilient. That patience paid off.”

Appearing on Fallon’s show draped in the iconic Green Jacket, McIlroy revisited his rollercoaster path to the Grand Slam and took on the host in a light-hearted golf challenge, chipping balls into washing machines, a game he once played as a 10-year-old on Northern Ireland's Gerry Kelly Show.

Before winning the contest 3–1, McIlroy joked, “I mean, yes. As the Masters champion I should not lose to you. That would be the worst.”
He also shared how he mentally managed the pressure during the tournament, saying he distracted himself by watching Bridgerton and reading a John Grisham novel.
“Everyone came up to me and they were like, ‘Oh, you don’t know what you put us through on that Sunday.’ I was like, ‘How do you think I was feeling?’” he laughed.

Reflecting at TPC Louisiana days after his win, McIlroy said the most meaningful part wasn’t just the title — it was how the moment resonated with people.
“It’s been an amazing few days, to be able to reflect on everything that happened and the magnitude of everything,” he said. “The big thing for me is just how the whole journey resonated with people and those who have reached out to me. That’s been absolutely amazing.”
“It’s not every day you get to fulfil one of your lifelong goals and dreams. I’ve just really tried to enjoy everything that comes along with that.”