Image courtesy The Masters/X.
By Rahul Banerji
It took Rory McIlroy 11 years to earn his first Masters Tournament title in 2025 and complete a career grand slam at Augusta National Golf Club.
On Sunday, he pulled on his second one with considerably less drama that he had needed 112 months ago.
It was still a near thing as 2025 runner-up Justin Rose pulled ahead briefly before Amen Corner scuppered his chances and world number one Scottie Scheffler closed in like a runaway locomotive but a little too late.
The 36-year-old Ulsterman had enough under the belt to add a sixth major to his collection, shooting a 1 under par 71 on Sunday to finish a stroke clear of Scheffler.
“I can’t believe I waited 17 times to get one Green Jacket and now I get two in a row,” said McIlroy (67-65-73-71, 276) later.
“All my perseverance at this golf course over the years has started to pay off. It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday.
“But just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done.”
The result pulled him into august company, matching Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Sir Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2002-02) as the only back-to-back Masters winners.
Tough week
“It was a tough weekend but I’m so happy to hang in there and get the job done,” McIlroy was also quoted as saying. “I wanted to come back and prove last year wasn’t a fluke.
“It took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth one’s come pretty soon after it. I’m not putting a number on it, but I certainly don’t want to stop here.”
It was at Amen Corner that saw McIlroy make a decisive break from the field with a brace of birdies on holes 12 and 13 after three others had at one point or the other, held a two-shot lead earlier in the day.
“Even though I hit three really poor tee shots on 13 the first three days, I just stayed aggressive, and finally I made a good swing and hit a good tee shot,” McIlroy said.
“(I) left myself an 8-iron in, which it could have been a more routine birdie if I had a better second shot, but I was able to put it down there to within 8 feet and hole that putt.
“Staying aggressive and staying committed, especially on those two holes, definitely served me this week.”
Job done
Ultimately, a tap-in bogey on 18 was enough to seal the deal and the $4.5 million prize purse ahead of Scheffler (70-74-65-68) on 11 under 277.
The world no.1 had one chance to draw level with McIlroy on 17 but his putt hung agonisingly on the edge of the hole and refused to drop.
Rose (70-69-69-70), Tyrrell Hatton (74-66-72-66), Cameron Young (73-67-65-73) and Russel Henley (73-71-66-68) shared third place on 10 under 278.
“I felt like I was a lot more controlled over the last few holes,” said the winner, who parred the penultimate hole after pulling his approach left.
“Once I got that ball up and down from the back of 16, I just said to myself on 17 tee, I just need four more good swings. I made one. But somehow I got it done.”
Besides McIlroy and Scheffler, past Masters champions finishing on Sunday were Patrick Reed, Hideki Matsuyama and
Jordan Spieth (T12/-5), Adam Scott (T24/-2), Dustin Johnson (T33/E), Jon Rahm (T38/+1), Sergio Garcia (52nd/+8), Charl Schwartzel (54th/+12).
Also read: Reverse gear for Rory on Moving Day at Augusta National
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