Rory McIlroy wins Masters, first to repeat since Tiger Woods

Augusta, Ga.– Rory McIlroy Had to wait more than a decade to win the Masters and complete the career Grand Slam.

He only had to wait a year to take home a second green jacket.

After squandering a six-stroke lead in Saturday’s third round, McIlroy briefly lost the lead again on Sunday, but regained control on the second nine at Augusta National before becoming the fourth back-to-back Masters champion and the first since. Tiger Woods In 2001-02.

A day after his 1-over 73 opened the door for a handful of golfers to try to attack, McIlroy shot 71 despite a bogey on the 18th to win by 1 stroke at 12 under.

According to ESPN Research, McIlroy became only the fourth golfer to hold the lead or co-lead after every round of the Masters in the last 40 years.

With his sixth major championship win, the Northern Ireland native joins England nick faldo Ranked second among European golfers. Only England’s Harry Vardon won more, with seven from 1896 to 1914.

Like last year, this Masters win didn’t come without plenty of drama on the 18th hole. Maintaining a two-stroke lead, McIlroy clipped his drive badly into the trees on the right side, his ball nearly reaching the edge of the 10th fairway. Standing in the pine hay, McIlroy holed an 8-iron high above the trees into the left bunker on the 18th. He punched it to 12 feet and two putts to give the world No. 1 a bogey and win by one shot. Scotty SchefflerWho finished at 11 under.

Thanks to two late birdies, Scheffler finished with a 68 and is the first golfer since World War II to play bogey-free in the final two rounds of the Masters.

LIV Golf Tyrell Hatton, Russell Henley, justin rose And cameron young Finished in third place at 10 under.

“Today I made it amazing,” Henley said. “I gave myself a lot of looks. Unfortunately, I didn’t capitalize on those looks from the back like I wanted to. I felt like I handled the pressure well, handled the situations well. It was tough out there.”

McIlroy looked to be in trouble early in his round. After making birdie on the par-4 third, he three-putted for double-bogey on the par-3 fourth, dropping him to 10 under. A bogey on the par-3 sixth left him at 9 under and two shots behind Young.

But after a pair of birdies on the seventh and eighth holes, McIlroy took control of Augusta National’s famous three-hole stretch from Nos. 11-13 to Amen Corner.

He made par on the par-4 11th to maintain a one-shot lead over four golfers, then hit his tee shot with a 9-iron high over the green on the par-3 12th. His ball landed and kicked to the right, stopping 7 feet from the hole. McIlroy’s birdie putt broke right and fell into the cup with a two-shot lead.

Then on the par-5 13th, McIlroy crushed a 350-yard drive down the right side, leaving him 183 yards short of the hole. His approach shot bounced off the back of the green, about 22 yards away. McIlroy putted down the green to 11 feet and made a birdie putt for a three-stroke lead with five holes to play.

Rose, a three-time bridesmaid at Augusta National after losing to McIlroy in a playoff last year, started the final round three strokes behind McIlroy and Young. But he ended the first nine with three consecutive birdies to move to 12 under and take a two-stroke lead at the turn.

However, it was another disastrous ending for Rose. On the 11th, he pushed his approach shot far to the right. He overshot the bunker on his third shot and missed 15 feet for par. The bogey dropped him to 11 under, tying him with McIlroy.

Rose’s tee shot on the 12th was long and left. Somehow, he dodged his chip shot from behind the green and left his ball in the rough. He moved 5 feet and made another bogey to fall one behind McIlroy.

The 45-year-old, who was attempting to become the second-oldest Masters champion, looked to be gaining momentum on his approach at the par-5 15th. From 197 yards, Rose took the offensive line and his ball bounced toward the green and stopped 30 feet from the hole. But Rose missed an eagle putt and an 8-foot birdie attempt and had to settle for three-putt par, leaving him two behind McIlroy.

Scheffler put himself back in the hunt for a third green jacket with a 7-under 65 on Saturday. Scheffler made two early birdies in the final round but then carded 11 consecutive pars before two final birdies.