Rory McIlroy wins Masters, joins historic list of back-to-back winners

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AUGUSTA, Ga. — A year after closing the book on his ultimate childhood dream of winning all four majors, McIlroy penned the first words of his next chapter, becoming just the fourth man to win back-to-back Masters Tournaments.

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Jack Nicklaus. Nick Faldo. Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy.

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With his sixth major championship win, McIlroy tied Nick Faldo for most by a European in modern times and took him closer to another long-stated goal to become the greatest European player to ever play.

“There’s obviously going to be that conversation, and that debate is going to be hard,” he said. “But it’s a cool conversation to be a part of. It took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth one has come pretty soon after it. I’m not putting a number on it, but I certainly don’t want to stop here.”

From child golf prodigy to career grand slam winner, it’s been a winding road for McIlroy, so it’s no surprise that his triumph on Sunday at Augusta National was anything but straightforward.

“I don’t make it easy,” McIlroy said in his green jacket after the round. “I used to make it easy back in my early 20s.

“It’s hard to win golf tournaments,” the 36-year-old added. “Especially around here.”

After a Saturday stumble from McIlroy saw a stampede of contenders charge back into the race, the Northern Irish superstar delivered a harrowing Sunday round with just enough highs to overcome the lows, something that has become a Masters trademark for the heart-stopping golfer.

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McIlroy shot a one-under par 71 to finish at 12-under and hold off a slew of challengers including a hard-charging world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who finished second at 11-under despite entering the weekend at even par.

“I’m not going to hold too many regrets, but definitely a bit disappointed now,” Scheffler said. “I started the weekend 12 shots back and ended up only one shot back. If I am going to blame anything, I should probably blame the first two rounds.”

Last year’s runner-up, Justin Rose, and Sunday’s playing partner Players Champion Cameron Young joined Russell Henley and Tyrell Hatton in third place at 10-under.

“I think just the chance that got away obviously,” Rose said of where his mind went while walking down the 18th hole.

After finding heartbreak last year losing his second sudden-death playoff at the Masters, the 45-year-old Englishman held the lead on Sunday heading to Amen Corner.

“I was by no means kind of free and clear and was nowhere kind of close to having the job done, but I was right in position,” Rose said. “I was playing great, but momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner.”

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As generations of golf fans have come to expect, that famous three-hole stretch was where the 2026 Masters was decided.

After Rose dropped two strokes, McIlroy began Amen Corner by cautiously avoiding the water at the 11th that sunk his Saturday round and making par.

Clinging to a one-stroke lead at the famous par-3 12th, McIlroy hit the shot of the tournament on the hole that has sunk many a Masters chances. Foregoing the safety of the middle of the dangerous green, McIlroy appeared to attack the familiar far-right Sunday pin. His ball came to a stop seven feet from the hole and he rolled the gently breaking putt into the middle of the cup.

The 9-iron he hit at the hole named Golden Bell was a mix of guts, experience, and a little luck.

“I played a practice round with Tom Watson in 2009, and he said to me on the 12th tee he always waited until he felt where the wind should be and then just hit it. You know, just hit it as soon as you can,” McIlroy said.

“I was patient, and I waited to feel where the wind should have been coming from, and I knew it was just a perfect three-quarters 9-iron,” he added. “I aimed it at the middle of the bunker. Probably didn’t anticipate it to drift as far right as it did. That’s why you give yourself a little bit of margin for error.”

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“Absolutely a huge, huge shot in the tournament.”

After another birdie at the par-5 13th, the 90th Masters Tournament was once again firmly in McIlroy’s hands to win or lose.

With a green jacket in his locker, closing the deal theoretically was supposed to be easier this time around, but to the surprise of absolutely nobody, it wasn’t.

His wedge shot on to the par-5 15th hole seemed to fall too fast as it travelled over the water. Rory raised a hand, perhaps in hopes of carrying it safely to land, before his ball found the front of the green.

“Instead of the wind carrying the ball, it sort of knocked it down, and it didn’t carry anywhere near as far as it needed to,” he said. “Thanking my lucky stars with that one.”

With a two-stroke lead in the middle of the 17th fairway, McIlroy pushed his approach shot right and missed the green. A delicate up-and-down was needed. After what had been a week of delicate up-and-downs, his hands didn’t fail him and he made another par.

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A week of battling with his driver wasn’t over, as his final drive of the week sailed into the trees to the right of the 18th fairway.

“Walking off the 18th tee not knowing where my ball was, I think that was the moment of greatest stress,” he said. “It could go anywhere. It could be anywhere.”

McIlroy found his ball nestled among the pine trees and managed to advance his second shot into the deep bunker guarding the final green.  The final challenge of the season’s first major was a successful sand shot that finished 12 feet from the hole.

“I just said to myself on 17 tee, I just need four more good swings. I made one,” he grinned. “But somehow I got it done.”

Two putts to win the Masters is every golfer’s dream, and on Sunday at Augusta National, McIlroy finished another excruciating test with a tap-in before looking to the sky and letting out a winning roar.

The lesson McIlroy has repeatedly urged people to learn from his career of both painful misses and magic moments is to always show up and never give up.

“Just keep going. Keep your head down and keep it going,” he said. “If you put the hours in and work on the right things, eventually it will come good for you.”

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