McIlroy wins Masters
Rory McIlroy won the 2026 Masters, defending his Green Jacket and finishing at 12-under par after a final-round 71 that beat Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. Reports note McIlroy became just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles, with late-round pressure and a key 9-iron into Amen Corner cited in post-round analysis. Video highlights and expert breakdowns argue the victory hinged on a few high-leverage shots rather than weeklong dominance. (nytimes.com) (youtube.com)
Rory McIlroy won the Masters again on Sunday, finishing 12-under at Augusta National and beating Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. (nbcsports.com) McIlroy closed with a 1-under 71 after starting the day tied for the lead with Cameron Young, then holding off late charges from Scheffler, Justin Rose and Young. (theathletic.com) The final margin stayed at one even after McIlroy made bogey on the 18th hole, leaving Scheffler alone in second at 11-under. (golfweek.usatoday.com) The win put McIlroy in a small group of repeat Masters champions. He became the fourth player to win back-to-back at Augusta National, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods, and the first to do it since Woods in 2002. (nbcnewyork.com) It also gave McIlroy his sixth major championship, matching Faldo’s total and extending the run that began with his long-awaited Masters breakthrough in 2025. (skysports.com) This Masters turned on swings late in the week, not a wire-to-wire cruise. McIlroy held a record six-shot lead after 36 holes, shot 73 on Saturday to fall into a share of the lead, then recovered on Sunday after trailing by as many as two shots. (nbcnews.com) The key stretch came at Amen Corner, Augusta National’s three-hole run from the 11th through the 13th. The Professional Golfers' Association Tour said McIlroy birdied the 12th and 13th to reach 13-under, with post-round analysis focusing on a 9-iron on the 12th as the shot that steadied the round. (pgatour.com) (youtube.com) Scheffler, the Masters champion in 2022 and 2024, pushed McIlroy to the end and finished one back after starting the day four shots behind. (golfchannel.com) McIlroy walked off the 18th green with his second straight Green Jacket and a place in one of the tournament’s shortest lists. Augusta’s recent history now runs through him. (pgatour.com)
