McIlroy joins rarefied company with back-to-back Masters wins

AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 12 : Defending champion Rory McIlroy won the Masters by one shot over Scottie Scheffler on Sunday to collect his sixth major and become the fourth repeat winner at Augusta National and first since Tiger Woods in 2002.

World number two McIlroy, who let a six-shot advantage slip on Saturday and started the final round level with playing partner Cameron Young and one ahead of Sam Burns, closed with a one-under-par 71 to finish the week on 12 under.

With victory secured, McIlroy looked to the blue Georgia skies and screamed before hugging his caddie Harry Diamond.

"I just can't believe I waited 17 years to get one Green Jacket, and I get two in a row," McIlroy said before being presented with the Green Jacket by Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley in the Butler Cabin. "I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off."

ANOTHER MASTERS NEAR-MISS FOR ROSE

Scheffler, a four-time major champion who has won two of the last four Masters and started the day four shots back, nearly got to within one of McIlroy but his bid for a third consecutive birdie fell short when his putt at the 17th stopped just beside the hole.

The world number one, who went out three pairings ahead of McIlroy, carded a 68 that left him alone in second.

"I always felt like I was a couple shots out of it, but I was ahead of those guys, so I felt like if I could make a few birdies and post a score I'd be in a good spot but just wasn't able to make enough birdies on the back," said Scheffler.

LIV Golf's Tyrrell Hatton (66), birthday boy Russell Henley (68), 2025 Masters runner-up Justin Rose (70) and Young (73) finished in a share of third place.

Rose, who left the Masters empty-handed a year