Rory McIlroy Tears Up with Joy After Masters Victory, Honoring His Beloved Parents

RORY MCILROY is a back-to-back Masters champion – but winning his second Green Jacket proved no less emotional than his first.

That is partly because his parents jetted over from Northern Ireland to witness his on Sunday having stayed home last year.

Rory McIlroy was moved by his second Masters triumphCredit: Reuters McIlroy and dad Gerry shared a warm embrace on the 18th greenCredit: AP

, 36, got over the line with a final day 71, which was enough to hold off the charging by one shot.

There was not the same intense relief as , when McIlroy ended an 11-year major drought and completed the Career Grand Slam.

But tears still flowed as the newly-crowned six-time major winner hugged daughter Poppy, kissed wife and paid an emotional tribute to mum Rosie and dad Gerry.

He said: “If I could be half the parent to Poppy that you were to me, then I will have done a good job.”

McIlroy got all choked up again when asked about his support in Northern Ireland.

Cameras captured hole-by-hole reactions from a crowd of members at his hometown Holywood Golf Club who had gathered to roar him on.

He added: “I was a little kid with a dream and the support that I had from my family and my friends and everyone back home… some people probably thought it was outlandish to dream of the things I wanted to do.

“But I had amazing support from back home and I can’t thank them all enough for that continued support.”

McIlroy held off the charging Scottie Scheffler by one shotCredit: Getty McIlroy hugged wife Erica while mum Rosie (left) watched onCredit: Shutterstock Editorial McIlroy, Erica and Poppy celebrated a sixth major victoryCredit: Reuters McIlroy was cheered on by members at his hometown golf club in County DownCredit: PA

McIlroy enjoyed a warm embrace on the 18th green with dad Gerry, who bet on him to become a future major champion when he was just 15.

And he revealed that his parents nearly opted not to make the trip.

McIlroy said: “I can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one Green Jacket and now I get two in a row.

“All of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off.

“I’m just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done.

“It’s the second major win my mum has been at, she was at The Open at Hoylake in 2014.

“There was a piece of them that didn’t want to come [this time] because they didn’t come last year and thought ‘OK, maybe that was the reason.’

“I’m so glad they got to experience this. We’re all going to have a great time tonight.”