McIlroy repeats at Augusta

Rory McIlroy left Augusta National with another Green Jacket on Sunday, holding off Scottie Scheffler by one shot to win the 2026 Masters. (pgatour.com) McIlroy finished at 12-under par after a final-round 71, while Scheffler closed with a 68 to finish at 11-under. Justin Rose, Russell Henley, Tyrrell Hatton and Cameron Young tied for third at 10-under. (golfchannel.com) The final round swung several times after McIlroy began Sunday tied with Cameron Young at 11-under, one day after a third-round 73 erased much of the six-shot lead he held through 36 holes. Golf Channel reported McIlroy trailed by as many as two shots before regaining control around the turn. (golfchannel.com) McIlroy’s winning burst came at Amen Corner, where the PGA Tour said birdies on the 12th and 13th holes pushed him to 13-under before a closing bogey at 18. He finished the tournament at 276, one stroke clear after a late scramble from the trees on the last hole. (pgatour.com) The victory made McIlroy the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. It was also his sixth major championship and his 30th PGA Tour win, according to the PGA Tour and NBC Sports. (pgatour.com; nbcsports.com) The repeat came one year after McIlroy finally won the Masters on April 13, 2025, beating Justin Rose in a playoff to complete the career Grand Slam. That 2025 victory made him the sixth man to win all four major championships. (pgatour.com; pga.com) This year’s defense looked steadier on the card than it felt on the course. The PGA Tour said McIlroy needed “improbable par saves” on the back nine, and Golf Channel noted he survived after surrendering that earlier cushion over the weekend. (pgatour.com; golfchannel.com) Scheffler’s charge kept the finish tight to the final hole, but McIlroy still walked off Augusta with the same prize he claimed in 2025. A year after ending the long wait for one Green Jacket, he now has two. (golfchannel.com; pgatour.com)