AUGUSTA, Ga. — It took Rory McIlroy 17 years to win his first green jacket. He wasn’t going to wait that long again to win his second.
McIlroy finished 12-under to win the Masters tournament for the second year in a row. He becomes only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters tournaments, joining Jack Nicklaus (1965-1966), Nick Faldo (1989-1990) and Tiger Woods (2001-2002).
“It still fits,” McIlroy said as Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley put the green jacket back on him.
“My parting message last year was I can’t wait to come back and put the jacket on myself ... I wasn’t quite correct,” he added.
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It appeared McIlroy would have an easy path to his second green jacket based on the first two rounds. He set the Masters record for largest 36-hole lead.
But he struggled on Saturday and entered Sunday tied for first with Cameron Young. He fell behind Young and Justin Rose, last year’s runner up, early on Sunday.
Then, McIlroy found his groove again at Amen Corner with back-to-back birdies at No. 12 and No. 13 holes.
In true McIlroy fashion, he saved some drama for the final hole with Scottie Scheffler only two shots behind. His tee shot on the 18th was not in a favorable spot. But McIlroy recovered to make a bogey at No. 18 and win by a stroke.
“I’d say walking off the 18th tee not knowing where my ball was, that was the moment of greatest stress,” McIlroy said after.
Scheffler finished second at 11-under and recorded the first bogey-free weekend at Augusta since 1942. There was a four-way tie for third place, including Georgia native Russell Henley, who turned 37 on Sunday.
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