AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy needed to wait greater than a decade to win the Masters and full a profession Grand Slam.
He waited only one 12 months earlier than taking residence his second inexperienced jacket.
McIlroy, who had a report six-stroke lead within the third spherical on Saturday, briefly misplaced the lead once more on Sunday earlier than taking management within the second spherical at Augusta Nationwide, changing into the primary participant since Tiger Woods in 2001-02 to win back-to-back Masters titles and the fourth general (Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo).
A day after opening the door for a number of golfers with a 1-over 73, McIlroy shot a 71 regardless of a bogey on the 18th to win by one stroke at 12-under 276.
“Final 12 months I used to be attempting to win the Masters and the Grand Slam and thought it was going to be actually arduous to win, however this 12 months I spotted it is actually arduous to win the Masters,” McIlroy mentioned. “I attempted to inform myself it was each.”
Based on ESPN Analysis, McIlroy turned simply the fourth golfer previously 40 years to stay in first place or runner-up after every spherical of the Masters.
Together with his sixth main championship win, the Northern Irishman joins England’s Faldo for the second-highest complete of any European golfer. Solely England’s Harry Vardon received greater than seven instances between 1896 and 1914.
Like final 12 months, this Masters victory did not come with out some drama on the 18th gap. With a two-shot lead, McIlroy hit his drive into the timber on the correct, sending the ball simply over the sting of the tenth fairway. Standing in pine straw, McIlroy hit an 8-iron over the timber and into the left bunker on the 18th. He punched out to 12 toes and two putts to beat world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who completed at 11 below, one stroke behind bogey.
“I did not have a lot to say to (caddie Harry Diamond),” McIlroy mentioned of the drive on the 18th. “I feel each of us have been simply hoping my ball wasn’t in a extremely unhealthy spot or behind a tree. I used to be simply hoping I may swing.”
Thanks to 2 late birdies, Scheffler completed with a 68 and have become the primary golfer since World Warfare II to play the ultimate two rounds of the Masters with out a bogey.
Tyrrell Hatton, who performs for LIV Golf, tied for third place at 10 below with Russell Henry, Justin Rose and Cameron Younger.
“I hit nice immediately,” Henry mentioned. “I gave myself loads of appears to be like. Sadly, I did not make the most of the appears to be like on my again as a lot as I might have appreciated. I felt I dealt with the strain effectively and dealt with the state of affairs effectively. It was tough there.”
McIlroy seemed to be in hassle early within the spherical. After making a birdie on the third par 4, he made a three-putt double bogey on the 4th par 3 and fell again to 10 below. He suffered a bogey on the par-3 sixth gap and fell to 9 below, two strokes behind Younger.
McIlroy needed to stare on the scoreboard for your complete spherical after making an early mistake.
“I felt like we wanted to do this, particularly after a troublesome begin,” he mentioned. “I wanted to know the place I used to be within the match, and after six holes I believed, ‘Okay, I hope I can get again to even par that day.’ I acquired birdies on No. 7 and No. 8, so I knew I used to be going to be proper there heading into the again 9. I simply stored my eyes on all of it day.”
“Fortunately, there have been just a few guys that acquired away with it, however it wasn’t like Justin scoring 66 factors final 12 months. I performed effectively, and by chance guys did not get too near me this 12 months both.”
McIlroy took management at Augusta Nationwide’s well-known three holes, Nos. 11 by means of 13, Amen Nook.
He made par on the par-4 eleventh, holding a one-shot lead over 4 golfers, then hit his tee shot with a 9-iron onto the inexperienced on the par-3 twelfth. His ball landed and kicked to the correct, stopping seven toes from the outlet. McIlroy’s birdie putt broke to the correct and sank into the cup, giving him a two-stroke lead.
Then, on the par-5 thirteenth, McIlroy sunk a 350-yard drive to the correct, leaving him 183 yards from the outlet. His strategy shot bounced off the again of the inexperienced about 22 yards out. McIlroy hit the inexperienced to 11 toes and made the birdie putt for a three-shot lead with 5 holes left.
“I feel it was the twelfth tee shot after which the thirteenth tee shot. I feel it was to offer him the choice of hitting the inexperienced in two,” McIlroy mentioned Sunday when requested if he had any memorable pictures. “I have been scuffling with that tee shot this previous week. I hit the pine straw loads, however I made a extremely good swing off the thirteenth tee and was in a position to hit the inexperienced in two. It was big to get the birdie there after the birdie on the twelfth.”
After dropping to McIlroy within the playoffs final 12 months, Rose, a three-time runner-up at Augusta Nationwide, began the ultimate spherical with a three-shot lead over McIlroy and Younger. Nonetheless, he closed out the primary 9 with three consecutive birdies, and after the flip, he was at 12 below, two strokes behind.
Nonetheless, it was one more tragic ending for Rose. On No. 11, he took the strategy shot vast to the correct. He chipped over a bunker on his third shot and was unable to make a 15-footer for par. A bogey dropped him to 11 below, tying him with McIlroy.
Rose’s tee shot on No. 12 was lengthy and missed to the left. By some means, he ended up chunking a chip shot from behind the inexperienced, leaving the ball within the tough. He pulled the putt to five toes after which made bogey to fall one spot behind McIlroy.
The 45-year-old, who was aiming to turn into the second-oldest Masters champion, appeared to have regained his momentum on the strategy to the par-5 fifteenth. Rose took the offensive line from 197 yards and the ball bounced off the inexperienced and stopped 30 toes from the outlet. Nonetheless, Rose missed his eagle putt after which missed an 8-foot birdie try and needed to accept a three-putt par, leaving him two behind McIlroy.
“Clearly, I feel it simply occurred to be a possibility,” Rose mentioned. “You realize, I used to be by no means free and clear and I used to be removed from getting the job performed, however I used to be in the correct place. Look, Amen Nook, I did not hit a foul shot, however I did not hit a very good shot. I did not have sufficient dedication, particularly on the (eleventh strategy) shot. It was like two saves.”
Scheffler shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to get again on monitor for his third inexperienced jacket. Within the ultimate spherical, he made two birdies early on, however then made 11 consecutive pars earlier than getting birdies on the fifteenth and sixteenth.
“Total I haven’t got too many regrets, however I am positively a bit upset proper now,” he mentioned. “However like I mentioned, I began the weekend 12 strokes down and ended up just one stroke again. If you are going to blame one thing, it’s best to most likely blame it on the primary two rounds after which take into consideration the previous few rounds.”
