Rory McIlroy claims 2026 US Masters title, etches his name in golf history
Priest of the House
Updated ,first published
Augusta, Georgia: Masters champion Rory McIlroy addressed the thousands of fans gathered outside Augusta National’s practice ropes with three poignant words to open the second straight green jacket presentation ceremony.
“He’s still asleep,” McIlroy joked.
Almost 15 years ago, about 15 yards to the left, on the 10th tee, McIlroy hit a putt so ugly that a hook left in some booths triggered an infamous final-round 80 that erased a four-shot, 54-hole lead. Fans were wondering if McIlroy could recover to win the Masters.
Let alone becoming the fourth golfer in history to win consecutive Masters titles, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. Only three times in 89 years has the president of Augusta National had to green jacket a championship defender rather than a previous champion.
Last year the Northern Irishman delivered the most emotional day in professional golf, adding the long-awaited Masters to the 2011 US Open, 2014 British Open and two PGA Championships (2012, 2014). He became the sixth golfer in history to complete a career grand slam.
On Sunday, McIlroy emerged as the last man standing after one of the most chaotic Masters in history.
In his 18th Masters, McIlroy claimed his sixth major championship victory by edging out two-time Augusta winner Scottie Scheffler by one shot.
“I waited so long to win the Masters and suddenly I won two in a row,” McIlroy said in disbelief at his winning press conference.
The 90th Masters was an exciting match until the last minute. McIlroy popped his tee shot into the trees on the 18th, but hooked his second shot through the pines into a greenside bunker. Two putts and a closing bogey allowed McIlroy to finish at one-under 71 and finish at 12 under par.
Scheffler (68) finished alone in second place in the under-11s, while four other players held at least part of the lead on the heart-stopping final day.
Scheffler, himself a four-time major winner, praised McIlroy for his bravery after squandering a record six-shot lead at the 36-hole mark and still recovering.
“You don’t win the number of tournaments he did here without being pretty resilient,” Scheffler said.
Cameron Young (73), Justin Rose (70), Russell Henley (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (66) finished third with 10 points. Collin Morikawa (68, nine-under) also made the run.
Australia’s Jason Day took a par from the greenside bunker on 18 to tie for 12th place (five under) and narrowly earn an invitation to the 2027 Masters. Adam Scott was two years under.
McIlroy shocked the galleries by making a double bogey on the par-3 fourth and a bogey on the par-3 sixth to drop to nine under. But the 36-year-old regained balance with birdies on the seventh and par-5 eighth.
The 30-time PGA Tour winner hit his putt for a birdie from close on the par-3 12th and then chipped away at a drive 320 feet on the 13th to set up another. After missing the green on 16 and 17, masterful shots yielded full putts before the frustrating closing bogey.
“I thought it was very difficult to win because I was trying to win the Masters and the grand slam last year. [simultaneously]and I realized it was really hard to win the Masters this year,” McIlroy joked.
Maybe, but McIlroy became the 19th man in 90 years to win the Masters more than once.
The theme of McIlroy’s first Masters win was that he completed his career grand slam after being stuck on the final stage for 10 years. He pursued McIlroy to the point of exhaustion.
It is now clear that the floodgates have opened to continue advancing his stellar career into the pantheon of golf greats.
He is arguably the greatest European golfer in history. Britain’s Nick Faldo won six majors but his tally consisted of three British Opens and three Masters. The tie-breaker would be McIlroy’s career achievement.
“I tied Nick today; this debate is going to be tough,” said a modest McIlroy. “But it’s a great conversation to be a part of.”
“It took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth major came right after that. I’m not putting a number on that, but I definitely don’t want to stop there.”
Rory McIlroy
There will be no conversation for a very long time. Golf is witnessing only the first of the peak years of one of the greatest champions ever. Career goals held by the Ulsterman include British Open victory at St Andrews, having led before being heartbroken by winner Cameron Smith in 2022. McIlroy will get another opportunity at St Andrews next year.
“It took me 10 years to win my fifth major and my sixth major comes right after that,” world No. 2 McIlroy said. “I’m not putting a number on this, but I definitely don’t want to stop there. [Last year] I felt like the goal was a grand slam, but I realized it wasn’t. I don’t think I’ll get past this [same] loss of motivation.”
For now, McIlroy promised he’ll have a “head ache” when he flies to Florida on Monday because his parents are at the Augusta galleries. They did not participate last year. McIlroy’s mother had witnessed only one other major victory for her son in person, at the 2014 British Open at Royal Liverpool.
“I caught myself thinking about these things a few times and said no, not yet,” he said. “They missed it last year and the first thing I wanted to do was fly home. [Holywood, Northern Ireland] to see them. I’m so happy they got to experience this today. We’re all going to have a great time tonight.”
McIlroy deserved it.
Asked what his Masters journey has taught him about life, McIlroy said: “Good things come to those who wait; just keep going.”
If he keeps it up, he could become the first golfer to achieve the Masters three-peat.
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