MCILROY CREATES MORE HISTORY WITH MASTERS DEFENCE
Rory McIlroy during his press conference at Augusta National after successfully defending the Masters to become only the fourth player to achieve such a feat. (Photo: Getty/The Masters)
By Paul Gallagher
These are treasured times. We will miss it when it’s gone. Rory McIlroy is a once in a generational sporing icon and last evening he further etched his name in the history books by successfully defending the Masters at Augusta National.
McIlroy doesn’t do easy, he said as much in a brief conflab with Nick Faldo on his way to the Butler Cabin to receive a second Green Jacket. In defending the Masters, the 36-year-old became only the fourth player to manage such a feat, and joins an illustrious group alongside Jack Nicklaus, Faldo and Tiger Woods.
Heady times indeed. McIlroy now has six Majors and who knows where this journey stops. It’s like the floodgates have opened and the world number two has the potential to go on a Major rampage in the coming months and years.
McIlroy secured the Grand Slam with his Masters win in 2025 to become only the sixth player in history to achieve such a feat. It was a decade in the making as he hadn’t won a Major since 2014, now all of sudden that patience is bearing fruit.
"I just can't believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket, and I get two in a row," said McIlroy in the Butler Cabin. "It's just sort of the way - I don't know. I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off. It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday. But just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done."
“I did want to come back here and prove last year wasn’t a fluke.”
Yet again, McIlroy did it the hard way, just like in 2025. Having relinquished a six stroke advantage at the halfway stage, he also lost the lead early on the final day – but he’s been here before, and he knows how to get it done.
“I never make it easy,” said McIlroy, who led by a record six strokes after 36 holes but fell into a tie with Cameron Young after the third round.
A year after Justin Rose pushed him to a playoff, McIlroy carded a final round 71 to finish on 12-under 276 to defeat two-time Masters champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. Rose, Young, Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley tied for third on 10-under on a day when four golfers had at least a share of the lead.
“You’re amazing,” Faldo told McIlroy, who joined the Englishman, Lee Trevino and Phil Mickelson with six professional major-championship victories. Only 11 golfers all-time have won more of the sport’s most coveted titles.
“Good things come to those who wait,” said McIlroy, whose 2025 Masters win broke an 11-year major drought. “Just keep going. I found myself in a very similar position today to where I was in the last round last year, two or three behind, but I played solid golf after that.”
Unlike last year, McIlroy’s parents, Gerry and Rosie, were present to see their only child win, along with his wife, Erica, and five-year-old daughter, Poppy.
“Mum and Dad, I owe everything to you,” said McIlroy. “You’re the most wonderful parents, and if I can be half the parent to Poppy that you’ve been to me, I know I’ve done a good job.”
Unfortunately Shane Lowry had a day to forget as the Offaly man slumped to a final round 80 that saw him drop into a tie for 30th on one-under after starting the final round just two strokes off the lead. Tom McKibbin missed the cut on his Masters debut.
TALE OF THE TAPE
McIlroy had a shaky start to the final day despite making birdie at the third as he immediately followed up with clumsy double bogey at the par three fourth after pulling his tee shot and missing a short putt.
Another dropped shot came at the sixth and it looked like his fate was about to tell another story at Augusta. The fairytale narrative was placed on hold and McIlroy needed a reset if his dream of writing another chapter into the history books was to be realised.
But this is Rory McIlroy. And his story has no template. From the seventh hole all the way to the sanctuary of the clubhouse, McIlroy played like a champion. Even the bogey on the final hole from the trees on the right was almost controlled. Destiny was in his own hands now.
Birdies at seven and eight seized back momentum for McIlroy, but the real shift in gears came at the infamous short 12th where he and caddy Harry Diamond worked out the swirling wind before a sensational sawn-off nine iron into eight feet set up another birdie on a treacherous hole.
He went on to make another birdie at the 13th and saved pars at 15 and 16 to hold a two stroke lead standing on the 18th tee. A wayward drive into trees on the right still allowed him a chance to make the greenside bunker. From there he knew a bogey was enough to successfully defend. He splashed out, rolled the par putt to within inches and finally allowed himself to smile. The job was done and a short tap-in sealed his fate. McIlroy was Masters champion once more.
“In the moment, I think when the ball trickled by and I marked it there from two inches or whatever, I just looked at the back of the green, and I saw my mum and dad and Erica and Poppy, and I was just like I can't believe I've just done it again,” said McIlroy. “It’s just amazing.”