Rory McIlroy let his putter fly high, put his head in his hands and dropped to his knees as fans celebrated wildly at Augusta National. McIlroy’s sheer relief was laid bare as he ended his long wait to win the Masters and complete a career Grand Slam.
Associated Press photographers were there to capture the raw emotion and unforgettable images as McIlroy won a playoff against Justin Rose.
And they were there to capture the perfect shot of St. Louis Cardinals’ Victor Scott II sliding home to score against the San Francisco Giants in September.
They are just two of the best sports images caught by AP photographers in 2025.
A stunning set of pictures include the Philadelphia Eagles’ celebrations after winning the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs and England’s Lucy Bronze converting a penalty in the Women’s European Championship, which the Lionesses went on to win.
As well as some of the year’s biggest triumphs, AP photographers captured moments at the heart of the action like the Netherlands’ Dani Baijens getting a finger in the eye as he tried to score at the Handball Men’s World Championship — and New Zealand’s Jorja Miller being tugged back by her hair as she tries to race away at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Here are The AP’s top sports photos of 2025.
Photo editing by: Tony Hicks and Matt York
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