When you think of the greatest shots in Masters history, certain moments are burned into memory. Tiger’s chip on 16, Bubba’s crazy hooking wedge, Phil’s daring 6-iron through the pines. After the 2025 Masters, you can add another to that list: Rory McIlroy’s gutsy 7-iron from 207 yards out on the 15th.
It was not just the pure ball-striking that made this shot iconic. It was the situation. Rory’s tournament was slipping away. He had dropped shots on three of the last four holes, including an ugly double bogey on the very scoreable 13th. Justin Rose was gaining ground, and the crowd had that heavy, sinking feeling that comes when you realize the storybook ending might not happen after all.
Rory stepped onto the 15th tee and gave himself a chance with a solid drive. Standing over his second shot, trees blocked his path. Most players would have laid up without a second thought. Rory went the other way. He committed to a sweeping draw, put a bold lash on it, and sent the ball careening around the trees toward the green. It was a shot packed with aggression, confidence, and pure control. It was exactly what he needed to turn his day around.
Here is the good news. While you might not match Rory’s exact distance or handle the pressure of Augusta National, the basic shape of that shot, the big, beautiful sweeping draw, is something you can learn.
How You Can Hit a Sweeping Draw Like Rory
If you want to hit a draw like Rory, you’ll need to understand what he’s doing. And that starts by choosing the right club.
For most players, reaching for a 6, 5, or even 4-iron makes more sense than a 7-iron. These clubs help you create the high launch and right-to-left spin needed for a full, sweeping draw.
The setup is everything. Start by closing your stance slightly. Drop your back foot a little farther behind you, and let your trail hip (your right hip for right-handers) open up slightly away from the ball. This gives you room to swing inside-out, which is crucial for starting the ball out to the right.
Move the ball just a little further back in your stance compared to your normal shot. Not way back, but enough to promote the rightward starting line.
The biggest key is your release. You need loose, active wrists, forearms, and hands. Through impact, you want the clubface to be slightly closed relative to your swing path but not overly rolled. Think about “throwing” the clubhead out and away from your body, pushing it toward right field if you imagine a baseball diamond, and letting your hands naturally release. This promotes the right-to-left spin without over-hooking the ball.
If you swing too much across it or get handsy too soon, you will either hit a big pull or a weak slap. The magic is in swinging confidently out to the right and letting the ball turn over with the correct spin.
Practice is essential. It takes a few sessions to get comfortable exaggerating your inside-out swing path and trusting that the ball will curve back. Once you get the feel for it, you will understand why Rory took that risk. There is no sweeter feeling than pulling off a sweeping draw when it matters most.
Clint is PGA-certified and was a Head Teaching Professional at one of Toronto's busiest golf academies. He was also featured on Canada's National Golf TV program, "Score Golf Canada," twice. He graduated with a degree in Golf Management from the College of the Desert in California and studied under Callaway's co-founder, Tony Manzoni. He has a handicap index of 6.2 and spends the winters near Oaxaca, Mexico, where he plays twice a month at the Club de Golf Vista Hermosa. He's written over 100 articles at GolfSpan since 2021. You can connect with Clint at LinkedIn, FB, his website, or Clintcpga@gmail.com.
