RORY MCILROY REVEALS ‘IRONIC’ GOOD LUCK NOTE RECEIVED FROM EX-PRISONER ON MASTERS SUNDAY

Rory McIlroy was in need of all the good golf luck as he chased down and finally secured his first Masters title last weekend – and he revealed he also had well wishes from an unlikely source ahead of Sunday’s play.

The 35-year-old went into Sunday at Augusta with a two shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau and took a good command of the first half of his round before enduring some scares along a rocky back nine which saw Justin Rose roar back into contention.

But McIlroy reasserted after missing a chance at par to win the tournament in regulation at the last and went on to beat Rose on the same hole as the two went into a sudden death play-off.

The size of the achievement overwhelmed McIlroy, with the Holywood man becoming just the sixth golfer ever to achieve the Grand Slam by winning each of golf’s four majors.

He did so 14 years on from his most notorious Augusta moment prior; the final day collapse in 2011 which saw him erase a four shot lead and end up finishing in 15th place on a Sunday which he admitted had left him with “pent-up emotions” over the years before breaking his duck in such cathartic fashion.

And ahead of all of the drama of the final day, McIlroy discovered well wishes from a left-field source; Angel Cabrera, his playing partner during that fateful 2011 Masters final round.

Cabrera has had an eventful life off the course since and was arrested in Rio de Janeiro in January 2021 having left his native Argentina, where he was facing a number of charges for assault, theft and illegal intimidation.

Having remained in a Brazilian prison until June of 2021, the following month he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison. He was ultimately released in August 2023 and cleared to play in PGA Tour sanctioned events that December.

McIlroy revealed the note the 2009 Masters champion had left for him ahead of his all-important Sunday, something he surmised was “ironic” in the scheme of things.

‘You know, since 2011, I think it’s so ironic, as well. I got to my locker this morning and I opened it up, and there was a note in there from Angel Cabrera, and just wishing me luck,’ he said.

‘And Angel Cabrera was the player I played with on the final day in 2011. It was a nice touch and a little bit ironic at the same time. It’s been 14 long years, but thankfully I got the job done.’