McIlroy Makes Masters History With Back-to-Back Green Jackets at Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The 90th Masters delivered everything Augusta National promises and more. Rory McIlroy stood on the 18th tee with history within reach, and he seized it, sinking the putt that secured his second consecutive green jacket by one stroke over Scottie Scheffler.

The final tally: 12-under par for McIlroy, 11-under for Scheffler. Close enough to feel the pressure, far enough to get the job done.

The path here was anything but smooth. McIlroy took a four-shot lead into the weekend but saw it evaporate on Saturday, posting a 1-over par round that handed the momentum to Cameron Young, who surged to 7-under on the day to tie McIlroy at the top. With the sun setting on Augusta heading into the final round, the defending champions aura of invincibility had taken a real hit.

Sunday brought a new challenge: a crowded leaderboard. At the halfway point of the final round, Justin Rose had worked his way to the top at 12-under. McIlroy sat one back at 11-under alongside Cameron Young. Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley lurked at 10-under. Scheffler, the world number one, was in the mix too. Augusta had set the trap, and the worlds best had walked right into it.

McIlroy found another gear on the back nine. He climbed back to 12-under, wrestled back control of his own tournament, and held on as others fell back. Scheffler finished alone in second. Rose, Young, Hatton and Henley tied for third at 10-under.

The achievement places McIlroy in rare air. He becomes just the fourth player to win consecutive Masters titles, joining Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Faldo did it in 1989-90, Nicklaus in 1965-66, Woods in 2001-02. McIlroy is the first to accomplish the feat since Woods twenty-four years ago.

For McIlroy, this is a fifth major championship overall. His career arc from promising young talent to elite of the elite is now reflected in the Augusta record books. He won his first major at the 2011 U.S. Open, and has since accumulated wins at all four major venues. The Masters victories now stand alongside Nicklaus, Faldo and Woods as the only repeat champions at Augusta.

The green jacket fits twice now. McIlroy is already thinking about a third.