Rory McIlroy has revealed the ‘ironic’ message he received from disgraced former Masters champion Angel Cabrera ahead of his emotional triumph at Augusta National.
The Northern Irishman dispelled the ghosts of the past to end an 11-year wait for a major and become the sixth man to complete the career grand slam after edging out Justin Rose in a sudden death play-off on Sunday night.
McIlroy headed into the final round with a two-shot lead, 14 years after he looked certain to claim the championship as a 21-year-old, having begun the final day with a four-shot advantage over the field.
The 35-year-old would go on to suffer one of the most infamous meltdowns in the sport’s history, recording a round of 80 to finish on four under par and tied for 15th. McIlroy’s playing partner on that fateful day was 2009 champion Cabrera, who made his comeback at Augusta this week following 30 months in prison.
McIlroy opened up on the message he received from the Argentine ahead of his final round on Sunday.
He said: ‘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.
Rory McIlroy has revealed the ironic message he received before his final round at the Masters
Disgraced former Masters champion Angel Cabrera (pictured left with McIlroy at Augusta National in 2011) wished the Northern Irishman luck ahead of his victory on Sunday
Cabrera missed the cut at the 2025 tournament after making a controversial comeback
‘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.’
Cabrera missed the cut at the 2025 tournament after making his controversial comeback at the major championship this week. He won the green jacket in 2009 and has played at the Masters 20 times but has not competed at the tournament since 2019.
He spent two-and-a-half years behind bars after being found guilty of assault, theft and illegal intimidation against former girlfriends in 2021.
McIlroy, meanwhile, exorcised the demons of the past to claim his fifth major after a dramatic play-off win over Rose.
He was made to wait for his crowning moment after flubbing a putt from about five feet out to ultimately bogey the 18th.
He eventually held his composure in a nerve-wracking play-off to ward off Rose for good and complete a career grand slam.
The 35-year-old paid tribute to his family in his emotional Green Jacket ceremony.
‘Last but not least, over to my left, my family, my team,’ he said, trailing off as the tears threatened to spill again.
The Argentine was McIlroy’s playing partner during his final round at the 2011 Masters where he suffered an infamous collapse – with Charl Schwartzel ultimately being crowned champion
Cabrera (above) won the green jacket in 2009 after defeating Kenny Perry in sudden death
The 55-year-old was kept in a ‘prison from hell’ in Argentina for the majority of his sentence
‘They’ve been on this journey with me the whole way through. They know the burden that I’ve carried to come here every year and try and try and try again,’ he continued after recomposing himself.
‘The one thing I would say to my daughter Poppy, never give up on your dreams. Never ever give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard.’
Earlier this month, Cabrera won his first tournament since his prison stint at the inaugural James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational in Florida.
In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport, Cabrera said: ‘Right now, I’m fine. But I regret everything that I have done wrongly in my past and I am also frustrated that I dumped very, very important years of my life. I made mistakes.
‘It is one of the worst things that can happen to a human being, not being able to have freedom.’
In 2021, former girlfriend Cecilia Torres Mana first made accusations of assault, intimidation and causing injuries against Cabrera.
Cabrera denied the accusations but his former wife, Rivadero, and former partner Micaela Escudero, also filed charges.
Cabrera with Cecilia Torres Mana, one ex-girlfriend who accused him of domestic violence
Cabrera says he ‘regrets everything’ and is annoyed that he wasted ‘very important years’
The 2007 US Open winner was arrested by Brazil’s federal police on an Interpol warrant in January 2021 and spent six months in a Brazilian prison before being extradited to his homeland.
After being extradited to Argentina in June 2021, he stood trial on charges of assault, theft, illegal intimidation and repeated disrespect to authorities.
He was found guilty of assault against Torres Mana during the time they were together from 2016 to 2018 and began serving a two-year sentence immediately after the verdict.
In November 2022, he was sentenced to another two years and four months for the assault of his other ex-partner, Escudero. He served both sentences concurrently.