Rory McIlroy defended his Masters title and joined an exclusive club at Augusta National, finishing at 276 (-12) to win by a single stroke. He became only the fourth player in tournament history to win back-to-back green jackets, a list that includes Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
A six-shot lead gone, a back-nine answer
McIlroy began Sunday tied with Cameron Young after his six-shot lead had slipped away on Saturday. Their final pairing marked just the second time two of the world’s top three players met in the last group on a Masters Sunday. Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler waited close behind on a tense, breezy afternoon.
Amen Corner decides a green jacket
The tournament turned at the 12th, where McIlroy waited for the right wind before flighting a 9-iron inside seven feet. He made the birdie putt, then birdied the 13th to reach 13-under and open a three-shot lead. “I struggled with that tee shot all week,” he told reporters afterwards. “To make a birdie there following the birdie on 12, that was massive.”
Scheffler’s historic chase falls short
Scheffler started the weekend 12 strokes back and played his final 36 holes in 65-68 with 11 birdies and no bogeys. A bogey-free weekend had not been seen at the Masters since 1942. He birdied the 15th and 16th to pull within two, but his birdie putt on the 17th died on the left edge. He finished one stroke short.
Rose briefly shared the lead before bogeys at the 11th and 12th ended his chance. Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley joined Rose and Young in a tie for third, two shots back.
A closing escape, a sixth major
McIlroy pushed his tee shot right on the 18th, then launched an 8-iron over the trees into the front bunker. He splashed out to 15 feet, took two putts and fell into the arms of his daughter Poppy for the second straight year.
The victory marked his 30th PGA TOUR title and sixth major championship. Twelve months after completing the career Grand Slam, McIlroy had authored a defence built on patience, precision at Amen Corner and one last escape down the stretch.
