Rory McIlroy wore somebody else's green jacket at the Masters as Augusta secrets emerge

For , it was a moment that was 11 years in the making. The 35-year-old finally slipped into the green jacket on Sunday night and completing the Grand Slam he craved.

That ambition has hung over him ever since he landed the in 2014. That left him with three of the four major titles to his name, but the star had to endure more than a decade of frustration before finally finishing the set. However, while the achievement undoubtedly belongs to him, the green jacket he donned on Sunday evening doesn't.

The jacket worn by champions after winning the isn't actually custom-made for them. Instead, the previous winner, in McIlroy's case Scottie Scheffler, is handed one owned by one of the club members at Augusta National.

McIlroy would have had to return the jacket just hours after his dramatic win. However, he will soon be sized up and fitted for his own jacket to wear outside of Augusta.

Sergio Garcia is one of the most famous examples of a Masters winner showing off the jacket in public. After his playoff win in 2017, ironically also over Justin Rose, he was then sporting green at both that year and at an El Clasico game between Barcelona and .

However, McIlroy can only own his jacket for a year. Following the 2026 ceremony, where he'll be draping one around the shoulders of a new champion unless he retains his title, he will hand his back to be kept in the clubhouse.

The tradition of the green jacket has been in place at the tournament since 1949. That year, Sam Snead became the first champion to be presented with one.

The jackets are now made by Hamilton Tailoring Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. That's more than 1000 miles from McIlroy's home in Jupiter, Florida, but the prospect of a two-hour flight is unlikely to stop the star from travelling to be fitted for the item that signifies his career destiny.