EMOTION SICKNESS!

IN the Augusta twilight at the end of a brilliant day, Rory Mcllroy fought back tears again.

- NEIL MCLEMAN

After winning a nerve-shredding play-off to claim the Masters - and complete his career Grand Slam the Ulsterman dropped to his knees on the hallowed turf of the 18th green and sobbed with a heady mix of relief and joy.

Then during the presentation ceremony by the clubhouse, watched by rows of the austere Green Jacketed members, the new champion's eloquent acceptance speech stalled with raw emotion when addressing his family. He said: "They have been on this journey with me the whole way through. They know the burden I have carried to come here every year to try and try and try again."

He then spoke directly to his four-year-old daughter sitting in the front row.

"The one thing I would say to my daughter Poppy here, 'Never give up on your dreams. Never ever give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard. And if you put your mind to it, you can do anything'. Love you."

This was a victory not only for McIlroy but also for persistence and resilience and bravery and human endeavour.

Of the 22 Masters I have covered, it is up there alongside Tiger Woods' 2019 win as the best because it was also a great comeback story after years of adversity.

McIlroy won here on the same April 13 date as the American superstar claimed his first Green Jacket in 1997 - but they are two different personalities.

Woods was a feared winning machine at the height of his powers and he got more love when he showed his human frailties.