McIlroy repeats at Augusta
Rory McIlroy won the 2026 Masters for the second consecutive year, finishing at 12-under after a final-round 71 to edge Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. (CNN ) The tournament carried a record $22.5 million purse, and coverage shows McIlroy surviving late volatility rather than cruising to the green jacket. (Yahoo Sports ) Podcast breakdowns and highlight reels singled out the 12th hole — McIlroy’s 161-yard 9-iron to inside eight feet — as a decisive moment while Justin Rose faltered with mistakes on holes 11–13. (Media/YouTube )
Rory McIlroy left Augusta National with another green jacket on Sunday, winning the 2026 Masters by one shot after a final-round 71. (masters.com) He finished at 12-under 276, one ahead of Scottie Scheffler, who closed with a bogey-free weekend and took second at 11-under. McIlroy earned $4.5 million from a record $22.5 million purse. (nbcsports.com) (golfchannel.com) The final round was tighter than McIlroy’s Friday position suggested. He had set the tournament’s largest 36-hole lead, then shot 73 on Saturday to fall into a tie with Cameron Young before holding on Sunday. (nbcsports.com) (nbcnews.com) The win put McIlroy in a short line of repeat Masters champions: Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods, and now McIlroy. It was also his sixth professional major title, one year after he completed the career Grand Slam at Augusta. (masters.com) (golfdigest.com) That changed the frame of this tournament. In 2025, McIlroy’s Augusta win ended an 11-year major drought and made him the sixth man to win all four majors; in 2026, he returned as defending champion and backed it up. (masters.com) (nbcchicago.com) Sunday turned on Augusta’s middle stretch. McIlroy steadied himself with birdies after an early wobble, and coverage from the round highlighted his tee shot at the par-3 12th — a 161-yard 9-iron that finished inside eight feet. (sports.yahoo.com) (youtube.com) Justin Rose made the strongest early push. He started three shots back, birdied three straight to grab the lead through nine holes, then lost momentum in Amen Corner with bogeys at 11 and 12 and a three-putt par at 13. (masters.com) (pgatour.com) Rose finished tied for third at 10-under with Cameron Young, Russell Henley and Tyrrell Hatton. Scheffler, playing from ahead of the leaders, posted the number McIlroy had to beat and forced the final holes to matter. (golfchannel.com) (nbcsports.com) McIlroy still had to survive the walk home. He reached the 18th with room for one mistake, made bogey, and still finished one clear — enough to turn a week that looked shaky by Saturday night into another Masters win by Sunday evening. (nbcsports.com)
