The 2026 Masters Tournament ended this past Sunday in a way that will be remembered for decades. In a display of grit, Rory McIlroy secured his second consecutive Green Jacket, becoming the first player to successfully do this since Tiger Woods in 2002.
The final round began as a wide and open race, having several of the world’s best players close in distance. However, it quickly transformed into a high-stakes match between McIlroy, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, and Justin Rose.
McIlroy’s path to victory was anything but certain. After a shaky start that included a double bogey on the par-3 4th, he found himself trailing Rose, who had taken the lead with five birdies on the front nine. There was a significant shift at Amen Corner, where McIlroy birdied both the 12th and 13th holes to reclaim the lead.
The Final Stretch
Scottie Scheffler, birdied the 15th and 16th holes to finish at -11, putting immense pressure on the leader. Justin Rose fought hard but ultimately fell into a tie for third at -10 after bogeys on the 11th and 12th. Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley, and Cameron Young also finished in the cluster at 10-under, making for one of the most crowded leaderboards.
McIlroy arrived at the 18th tee with a two-shot lead. Despite a nervous drive that headed toward the trees, he managed a spectacular escape with an 8-iron into the greenside bunker, eventually finishing for a bogey at -12 and claiming the victory by a single stroke.
