Augusta (United States) (AFP) - Rory McIlroy still remembers the surge of emotion that followed his victory at last year’s Masters, a moment that ended a decade-long wait and completed golf’s career Grand Slam.

The Northern Irishman captured his fifth major title at Augusta National, dropping to his knees after holing a short birdie putt in a playoff to secure the green jacket.

“It was my best-ever chance to win the grand slam,” McIlroy said. “I don’t think there was any round of golf I had played before that can compare to the feelings and emotions I went through that Sunday.”

A year later, the memories remain vivid, but McIlroy’s attention has turned back to the challenge ahead as he prepares to return to Augusta as the defending champion next week.

His breakthrough came after years of close calls and constant questions about whether he could finally win the Masters.

The victory ended a 10-year major drought and lifted the weight of expectation that had followed him each April.

After starting with a double bogey then recovering with four birdies in the next nine holes, McIlroy battled England’s Justin Rose down the stretch and made bogey at 18 to force a playoff.

Back at 18, McIlroy dropped a wedge shot three feet from the hole and sank the birdie putt for an emotional triumph that brought a green jacket and a night of joyful celebration.

“It was a wonderful night,” said McIlroy. “It carried on for a couple days.”

That next morning, McIlroy awoke feeling “a little foggy,” he admitted. “I think I woke up and I just had to make sure that it wasn’t a dream. People talk about those pinch-me moments and it really was like, did that really happen?”

It did. The proof was the green jacket in his luggage when he packed and flew home.

“It was so much fun to get home and have dinner at home and wear this jacket and just put the coverage on, watch the highlights,” McIlroy said. “It’s the best. You have that immense, like, satisfaction and you reflect on the journey.”

Golf fans that had watched McIlroy grow up celebrated right along with him.

“The reception I got after I won, and just how happy everyone was for me,” McIlroy said. “Everyone in some way felt invested in it.

“I’m doing this for myself. I’ve had these goals since I was a little boy but the fact other people are invested in that journey of mine obviously makes me incredibly grateful, just makes me take a step back and appreciate everything that I’ve done in my career.”

McIlroy said aggressive play has been crucial at Augusta, right down to his winning putt after a par miss on the same hole minutes earlier.

“The only difference with the three-footer in the playoff rather than the five-footer in regulation is I was sure of the line in the playoff. I was a little bit indecisive with my line or my read in regulation,” McIlroy said.

“When I look back at the round, when I was aggressive and when I played aggressively, I was rewarded and I played well.

“There’s probably a lesson in there somewhere of not taking your foot off the gas.”

McIlroy has released a documentary on his long wait to win the Masters.

“It’s a moment in time. It’s a snapshot,” McIlroy said. “It’s not about my entire life. It’s just about my journey to try to complete the slam. I think it would have been a miss to not document it in some way, and we felt like this was the best approach.”

McIlroy had seven top-10 finishes at the Masters before finally winning. In the 10-year gap between major wins he had 21 top-10 finishes, four of them runner-up efforts.