Rory McIlroy holds his nerve to become back-to-back Masters champion

The Northern Irishman held off the challenge of Scottie Scheffler to retain the green jacket, becoming the fourth golfer in history to retain the title.

Rory McIlroy holds up the trophy after winning the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday. Picture: AP Photo/Ashley Landis

In the end all of the determined challengers melted away.

Rory McIlroy became just the fourth player ever to win back-to-back Masters in spectacular fashion. 12 months ago, he endured a taxing storm. In 2026, he became one.

McIlroy clinched with a final round 71 for a total of 12-under-par 276 to finish one ahead of Scottie Scheffler. 

More reserved the second time round? Not on your life.

He roared to the heavens, he smiled and cried unabashedly on his way to the clubhouse before embracing his daughter, wife and both parents. Legacy-defining success is always sweet.

All he needed on the final hole was to avoid double bogey, having already scored one on the 4th, to claim his sixth major. This heaving march was one immense drama and incredible skill and at times, sheer stones.

The last group at Augusta National carried everything in its wake. Patrons thronged from hole-to-hole, in the elevated lofts and grandstands, TV crews folded up their ladders and packed away their set. There was an agonising spell where it looked like he would lose until he surged where others faltered on the second nine.

Sweltering conditions and the first tournament within rain in 15 years finally took its toll. As the sun started to set, the Cathedral of pines was starting to show signs of wear. Walkways were ground down to dust tracks. The need for a steady hand was only accentuated on a surface so firm and fast.

Members of Rory McIlroy's Holywood Golf Club in Co Down watching Rory play during the US Masters. Liam McBurney/PA

At 2.25pm local time, the defending champion emerged with a carefully measured plan. He came into Sunday with the longest driving distance at 337 yard average but had only hit 21 of 42 fairways. Saturday night consisted of furious swinging on the range it was clear what he needed to fix, in the same way that it is clear Isaac Newton would have benefited from a few fewer distractions and side quests.

The problem is that isn’t in them. A touch of madness is what makes the man. Even still, there was relief when he hit the first fairway on his way to a par-par-birdie start to settle quickly.

Settle? In the final round? Is this your first time riding the Rorycoaster? McIlroy then bizarrely double-bogeyed the par 3 Flowering Crab Apple having initially gone close with a chip for birdie. At this point, the Irish challenge was in a distressing position.

Hugs all around for the family.

Rory McIlroy is a two-time Masters Champion. pic.twitter.com/ZOkBW05YKV

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) April 12, 2026

Shane Lowry strolled to that elevated tee to the roaring sound of patrons urging him to strike another ace only for his eventual par putt to lip out. He double-bogeyed the sixth and abruptly it all turned ugly. At the top, the leaderboard began to seethe with Tyrrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Young all making a charge. The Offaly man tumbled the other way.

By the time he was swinging freely over his second shot on the eighth fairway, Lowry’s mood was darkening and he was audibly comparing it to his last year’s collapse. He carded an 80 yet held on afterwards to congratulate his best friend.

Meanwhile, McIlroy’s decision to putt it from the back of the green on the par-4 6th proved costly when he left it way short. Another dropped shot and the momentum slipped away. This, it should be said, was perfect theatre for the patrons who simply wanted a proper race: “We have ourselves a Sunday boys,” was a line passed as the Hollywood man made the walk to the seventh.

Boom. Successive birdies and a par burst followed from some exquisite shot-making. A downhill birdie putt from seven feet and a vintage draw to within 25 feet for eagle. Now the Rory bounce was back. He walked after that iron-shot on eight with the strut of a man reborn. This is the freedom that stems with having conquered a place that was once frightening. From there until just before 7.00pm, he owned it.

Suddenly, it really did look so simple. A cool left-to-right slider for birdie at Amen Corner saw him finally take a giant leap forward. What will cement this achievement is the fact he was made to work for it. The defining moment was when Scheffler rolled in a 20-footer to draw roars from one side of the course only for McIlroy to respond from 8-feet on another.

Five successive pars will not do justice to the resilience that is this precious, 36-year-old talent. There was a heart-in-the-mouth approach on the par-5 15th. Do not sleep on the delicate putt up the slope on the 16th that curled majestically back towards the cup.

His playing partner Cameron Young, who led by two at one point, finished in the Hatton-Rose-Russell Henley bunch.

A true triumph, made all the more special given the people who were there to witness it.

“I want to thank, not thank, Jeez, My mom and dad,” he said before accepting the sterling silver.

“They weren’t here last year to celebrate with us and surprisingly I had to convince them to come this year, because they thought the reason that I won was because they weren’t here.

“I’m glad that we proved that wrong. Mom and dad, I owe everything to you.”

Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods and McIlroy are now the only golfers to win back-to-back Masters. No one has done three-in-a-row.

Yet.