Posted May 2025
On April 13, 2025, Rory McIlroy stood on the 18th green at Augusta National and wept. He had just won the Masters Tournament — completing the Career Grand Slam and joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen as the only players in history to win all four major championships.
In his pocket: a marker made by Jon Millman of Melville, New York.
Millman first made a marker for McIlroy in May 2021. It sat unused. Then came the Poppy marker — engraved with words McIlroy’s four-year-old daughter said when he was preparing to fly to see his coach: “You already know how to play golf.” Her name in the center. Manchester United on the reverse. When that marker appeared on Tour in 2023, it never left. Six wins followed — THE PLAYERS, the Scottish Open, the Zurich Classic, the Wells Fargo, and finally Augusta.
In the days after the victory, McIlroy did something no one expected. He sent Millman a Masters flag, personally signed: “Jon, Thanks for the ball markers over the years!”. Jon has it displayed in a case with replicas of the winning marker Rory used, and 4 mini replica Major trophies, celebrating the Grand Slam.
“It’s something I’ll keep forever,” said Millman. “He didn’t have to do any of that. That gesture tells you everything about who Rory McIlroy is as a person, and a special Thank You to Harry as well. He made sure it all got to me. My Golf Life is Blessed.”
From a COVID hobby to Augusta National. That’s the GLM story.
Custom markers are available at GolfLifeMetals.com.