Rory, Rory ... hallelujah: McIlroy owns Augusta with another Masters title

McIlroy shot a roller-coaster 1-under 71 on Sunday to finish 12-under 276. It was one shot better than his winning score from last year and this time allowed him to avoid a playoff. He became the sixth player to win the Masters by going wire-to-wire, the first since Jordan Spieth in 2015.

“I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the career Grand Slam,” McIlroy said. “Then this year, I realized it’s just really difficult to win the Masters.”

McIlroy joined Tiger Woods (2001-02), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Jack Nicklaus (1965-66) as the only players to successfully defend their title.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot 68 and finished second at 11-under 277. Five players tied for third at 10-under 278: Georgian Russell Henley, Tyrrell Hatton, third-round co-leader Cam Young and Justin Rose, last year’s runner-up.

McIlroy led by a record six shots after posting 67-65 the first two days. He gave it all back with a 73 on Saturday but his final-round 71 was enough to win — and avoid a lot of uncomfortable questions.

“Just absolutely delighted to be able to get it done,” he said. “Having a six-shot lead going into the weekend, it would have been a bitter pill to swallow if I wasn’t able to get myself over the finish line.”

McIlroy didn’t make it easy on himself. He held a two-shot lead on the 18th tee and could have put it away with a good drive. Instead, he sliced it into the woods — only the fourth fairway he missed all day — and wayward enough to pique the interest of Scheffler, who watched in the scoring area.

“That was my moment of biggest stress, not knowing where my ball was,” McIlroy said. “It could have been anywhere.”

McIlroy found the ball. It was playable and he hooked it into the greenside bunker. From there he was able to salvage a bogey, tapping in to secure the one-shot win.

That set off a deep celebratory guttural scream and a hug-filled walk — including a stop to embrace his mother and father, who did not attend last year’s tournament — to the scoring area to sign his card and make it official.

And he didn’t have to slip the green jacket onto his own shoulders. That task was done by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley.

McIlroy began the day as co-leader with Young, but found himself behind by three shots after six holes. He steadied his nerves and regained his balance with consecutive birdies at No. 7 and No. 8. From that point, he was back on his game.

“If I hadn’t birdied the seventh and eighth holes, I would have started to push a little bit,” McIlroy admitted. “I never felt like I was out of it. I never felt like I had to press at all. I knew there were more important shots coming up.”

He began the surge toward the top by gaining some revenge on Amen Corner. He needed only 10 shots to cover those three iconic holes on Sunday after requiring 15 on Saturday. He made birdie at No. 12 — where only three were made all day — and No. 13, where he put himself in position with a 350-yard drive. He walked off the 13th green with a three-shot lead and a catch-me-if-can attitude.

“The tee shot at 12 and the tee shot on 13, just to give me the option to go for the green in two,” McIlroy said. “To make birdie there, following the birdie on 12, that was massive.”

The victory was sixth major championship for McIlroy, tying him with Phil Mickelson, Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo. Only 11 others have won more.

“Today, I tie Nick, so yeah, there’s obviously going to be that conversation, and that debate is going to be hard,” McIlroy said. “But it’s a cool conversation to be a part of. Again, it took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth one’s come pretty soon after it. I’m not putting a number on it, but I certainly don’t want to stop here.”