THE green jacket felt so nice, Rory McIlroy had to win it twice as he went back-to-back at The Masters.
The Holywood hotshot, 36, became the first man since Tiger Woods in 2002, and just fourth overall, to retain his crown at Augusta National.
Rory McIlroy is back-to-back Masters champion
His victory was celebrated by his hometown club in HolywoodCredit: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
He is just the fourth man to win the green jacket two years in a row
The Down native did so by overcoming a rocky front nine on Sunday as well as the resurgent Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose.
His hometown golf club in Holywood watched on as their favourite son made history after a final round that, while not reaching the same level of drama as last year, threatened to come mightily close.
McIlroy headed into Sunday with a share of the lead alongside Cameron Young after a one-over Saturday wiped out a six-shot lead he had built up on Friday.
And there was more tension to come when a double bogey on the fifth saw the Irishman drop to -10 and off the lead in favour of the American.
Sunday was moving day for many, with Justin Rose, who lost to McIlroy after an extraordinary play-off 12 months ago, shooting five birdies on the front nine to surge into contention as Young fell away on the back.
And not to be left out of the conversation, world No1 Scottie Scheffler inserted himself into the mix with back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 to put him on -11 after a bogey-free 68.
But it was to be the defending champion’s day once again.
He gobbled up four birdies between seven and 13 to reassert his command of the leaderboard on -13.
And despite finding the trees with his tee shot on 18, he rescued the bogey that made sure the green jacket stays on his back.
It perhaps should have been a lot more straightforward than it ended up being for the Grand Slam winner after an electric start to the week.
He set the stage by ending the opening round on Thursday in a share of the lead with a -5 round of 67 but it was on Friday that he lit up the iconic Georgia course.
His performance on day two boasted an excellence befitting a man who, by ending his Masters hoodoo in 2025, was unburdened by the pressure.
A stunning six birdies from his final seven holes, including four on the bounce to end the day, gave him a record-breaking six-shot cushion over the chasing back heading into the weekend on -12.
That cushion proved mighty convenient on a weekend that was more measured and manic.
The contenders responded to his Friday excellence by closing the gap on Saturday while McIlroy dropped two bogeys and a double-bogey on the back nine for a one-over 73 to carry a share of the lead with Young.
On Sunday, there were moments of nerves and tension, hinting at a return of the demons that haunted him during his ten-year major drought that ended in Georgia last year.
But the 36-year-old was able to regain his composure and poise when it mattered most to join Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, and Jack Nicklaus in having gone back-to-back at Augusta National.
In winning his six major, he has leapfrogged Spain‘s Seve Ballesteros, England‘s John Henry Taylor, and Scotland‘s James Baird as the most successful European.
It has brought him level with Nick Faldo and within one of the winningest European Harry Vardon.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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