AUGUSTA – Rory McIlroy overcame early stumbles and a late scare to win the Masters on Sunday, capturing his sixth major title to become only the fourth back-to-back champion at Augusta National.
The world No. 2 from Northern Ireland made a double bogey at the fourth and a bogey at the sixth, but responded with four birdies in the next seven holes and hung on after woeful late tee shots to win a second green jacket and a record top prize of $4.5 million.
McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back winners in Masters history, firing a final round one-under-par 71 to finish on 12-under-par 276 and defeat top-ranked Scottie Scheffler by one stroke.
A year after winning his first Masters to complete a career Grand Slam and snap a 10-year major win drought, McIlroy pulled off a wire-to-wire triumph.
“I just can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket and you know I get two in a row. It’s just sort of the way,” McIlroy said.
“I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off.”
McIlroy seized a 36-hole Masters record six-stroke lead only to play the weekend at level par.