Rory McIlroy finally did it. For the first time ever, he took home the green jacket by winning the 2025 Masters, scripting an incredible comeback story. In the process, the Northern Irishman became only the sixth golfer in history to complete a career Grand Slam—winning all four major titles at least once.
Having already won the PGA Championship twice (in 2012 and 2014), the 2011 U.S. Open, and the 2014 British Open, McIlroy had to wait a long time to complete the set. But now, it seems the wait was well worth it.
Naturally, congratulatory messages poured in from across the sporting world—including from F1—as McIlroy’s win was one of those heartwarming moments that resonate with anyone who loves sports. But when Alpine posted a picture of McIlroy celebrating his win in Augusta, the community was left wondering—why?
Why would a French F1 team be so ecstatic about a golfer winning a tournament? Well, as Damon Hill pointed out, McIlroy is an investor in Alpine.
“It’s all a bit odd, but Rory is invested in Alpine. Why not?” the 1996 World Champion wrote on Instagram, defending the Enstone-based outfit.
Damon Hill backs Alpine’s celebratory post for Rory McIlroy’s Masters triumph owing to their investor relationship pic.twitter.com/PHadTMQX2R
— Motorsport Fan (@F1IndyWEC) April 15, 2025
McIlroy had put in money in Alpine as part of a star-studded group of investors that included Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds, NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and also former boxing champion Anthony Joshua.
Together, they invested $220 million in late 2023, at a time when Alpine’s parent company Renault was looking to divest some of its stake in the F1 operation.
While Alpine is yet to make good use of this investment and show results on track, they seem to be sorting out their issues and rebuilding towards their goals.
They could certainly take inspiration from McIlroy’s recent success as they look to revisit their own glory days. Perhaps the Northern Irishman might even attend a Grand Prix in 2025 to further motivate the team. And if he does make an appearance in the F1 paddock, there will no doubt be a couple of golf enthusiasts waiting to meet and congratulate him in person on completing his career Grand Slam.
Golf-crazy Sainz and Norris predicted McIlroy’s triumph
With the Bahrain GP coinciding with the Masters tournament, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris—two of the most avid golfers in the paddock—chatted about who they thought would come out on top in Augusta.
With big names like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Joaquin Niemann in contention, they agreed it could go to anyone. Norris mentioned McIlroy first, prompting Sainz to jokingly respond, “Rory, Rory…” Eventually, Sainz also admitted that McIlroy looked like the favorite—something that ultimately proved true.
After the tournament wrapped up, Hill shared their prediction video on their Instagram story, calling Sainz and Norris “young sages.”
Damon Hill praises Norris and Sainz after their prediction of Rory McIlroy winning the Masters came true pic.twitter.com/sEc0zfEdxe
— Motorsport Fan (@F1IndyWEC) April 15, 2025
Initially, the Williams driver was backing his compatriot Jon Rahm, who showed promise by climbing from tied 25th to 14th, ultimately finishing 3 under par. But as the standings took shape, Norris likely sensed that the Spaniard wouldn’t be able to mount a comeback strong enough to challenge the leaders.
Of the names discussed by the former McLaren teammates, Scheffler came the closest, finishing fourth at 8 under par.
