Rory, Rory ... hallelujah: McIlroy owns Augusta with another Masters title
AUGUSTA — For the better part of Saturday and early in the final round on Sunday, Rory McIlroy looked human. Beatable. But with the best players in the world nipping at his Nikes, McIlroy proved otherwise.
He really is other-worldly.
The No. 2-ranked player in the world wobbled early but steadied himself and turned away a steady stream of challengers to become only the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Masters.
McIlroy shot a roller-coaster 1-under 71 on Sunday to finish 12-under 276. It was one shot better than his winning score from last year and this time allowed him to avoid a playoff. He became the sixth player to win the Masters by going wire-to-wire, the first since Jordan Spieth in 2015.
“I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the career Grand Slam,” McIlroy said. “Then this year, I realized it’s just really difficult to win the Masters.”
McIlroy joined Tiger Woods (2001-02), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Jack Nicklaus (1965-66) as the only players to successfully defend their title.
The Masters 2026
The 90th edition of the Masters Tournament tees off at Augusta National Golf Club this week. Here’s everything you need to follow the action.
THE CHAMPION: Rory McIlroy owns Augusta, wins second straight Masters title
FINAL ROUND: Surprises, disappointments: Henley ties for third on birthday | Sights and sounds from the 18th green | Rory McIlroy makes history again
GEORGIANS: High schooler on Masters debut: ‘Everything I dreamed it would be’ | UGA leads all college programs | Bulldogs legend showed up for the 1960 Masters. He’s been every year since. | Phenom’s path began with skipping rocks in South Georgia
PHOTOS: Final round | Round 3 | Golf fashions | Round 2 | Masters tournament starts | Par 3 contest | Contenders warm up | Practice rounds tee off
AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL: One rule for keeping toddlers quiet: Don’t say ‘birdie’ | Ticket-resale restrictions are popular subject | What Masters golfers would do as patrons at Augusta: ‘Have a lot of beers’ | How much it would cost to buy one of every item at the Masters Golf Shop
THE TRADITIONS (FOOD): Inside Rory McIlroy’s Champions Dinner menu | Make The Masters’ iconic 3-ingredient cocktail at home | Everything to know about pimento cheese this Masters week
WHAT TO WATCH: Why Augusta National could be ‘even more difficult’ this year | Augusta National can bring top players to their knees | Mason Howell’s path to Augusta
MASTERS GNOME: Masters gnome craze hits ‘Hunger Games’ levels amid final-edition rumors | Gnomes lead the secondary market outside Augusta National
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot 68 and finished second at 11-under 277. Five players tied for third at 10-under 278: Georgian Russell Henley, Tyrrell Hatton, third-round co-leader Cam Young and Justin Rose, last year’s runner-up.
McIlroy led by a record six shots after posting 67-65 the first two days. He gave it all back with a 73 on Saturday but his final-round 71 was enough to win — and avoid a lot of uncomfortable questions.
“Just absolutely delighted to be able to get it done,” he said. “Having a six-shot lead going into the weekend, it would have been a bitter pill to swallow if I wasn’t able to get myself over the finish line.”
McIlroy didn’t make it easy on himself. He held a two-shot lead on the 18th tee and could have put it away with a good drive. Instead, he sliced it into the woods — only the fourth fairway he missed all day — and wayward enough to pique the interest of Scheffler, who watched in the scoring area.
“That was my moment of biggest stress, not knowing where my ball was,” McIlroy said. “It could have been anywhere.”
McIlroy found the ball. It was playable and he hooked it into the greenside bunker. From there he was able to salvage a bogey, tapping in to secure the one-shot win.
That set off a deep celebratory guttural scream and a hug-filled walk — including a stop to embrace his mother and father, who did not attend last year’s tournament — to the scoring area to sign his card and make it official.
And he didn’t have to slip the green jacket onto his own shoulders. That task was done by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley.
McIlroy began the day as co-leader with Young, but found himself behind by three shots after six holes. He steadied his nerves and regained his balance with consecutive birdies at No. 7 and No. 8. From that point, he was back on his game.
“If I hadn’t birdied the seventh and eighth holes, I would have started to push a little bit,” McIlroy admitted. “I never felt like I was out of it. I never felt like I had to press at all. I knew there were more important shots coming up.”
He began the surge toward the top by gaining some revenge on Amen Corner. He needed only 10 shots to cover those three iconic holes on Sunday after requiring 15 on Saturday. He made birdie at No. 12 — where only three were made all day — and No. 13, where he put himself in position with a 350-yard drive. He walked off the 13th green with a three-shot lead and a catch-me-if-can attitude.
“The tee shot at 12 and the tee shot on 13, just to give me the option to go for the green in two,” McIlroy said. “To make birdie there, following the birdie on 12, that was massive.”
The victory was sixth major championship for McIlroy, tying him with Phil Mickelson, Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo. Only 11 others have won more.
“Today, I tie Nick, so yeah, there’s obviously going to be that conversation, and that debate is going to be hard,” McIlroy said. “But it’s a cool conversation to be a part of. Again, 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.”
Correction
This story has been updated to correct the years Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus won back-to-back Masters titles.
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
