IT might have lacked the theatre and emotion of 12 months prior, nevertheless Rory McIlroy emerged because the ‘Grasp’ at Augusta as soon as once more in claiming a second consecutive Masters victory.
McIlroy raced out to a six-shot lead after 36-holes and whereas he had his struggles over the closing two rounds, capturing a 73 on Saturday and a 71 on Sunday, his 12-under par whole was one shot forward of world primary Scottie Scheffler.
The victory, his sixth main championship title, noticed McIlroy be a part of Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the one back-to-back Masters champions. Woods the final to attain the feat 24 years in the past.
The win didn’t come with out drama, McIlroy giving up his six-shot benefit within the third spherical earlier than beginning the ultimate day stage with Cameron Younger and one shot forward of Sam Burns.
Australian Jason Day was additionally properly positioned on eight-under par by way of 54-holes, simply three pictures off the lead.
Younger, Russell Henley and Justin Rose made a run at McIlroy and on the title on Sunday, nevertheless McIlroy birdies on the par three twelfth and par 5 thirteenth gave him a buffer he would maintain till the ultimate gap, the place regardless of a wayward drive and a bogey 5 the Irishman would declare a second Masters triumph.
Scheffler, who trailed by 12 strokes after the opening two rounds, closed with 65-68 to nearly rating a come-from-behind win.
McIlroy, who turned simply the sixth participant to attain golf’s Grand Slam together with his win in 2025, drew stage with Nick Faldo because the winningest European golfer with six main titles within the fashionable period. The pair path Harry Vardon, who gained six Open Championships and the 1900 US Open for seven main victories.
……. And Rory might be again in Melbourne for the 2026 Australian Open
Now as a back-to-back winner of the Masters, Rory McIlroy shapes as one thing of a ‘cut price purchase’ for event organisers together with his return to Australian shores locked in for the 2026 Australian Open.
McIlroy, who was the star attraction at Royal Melbourne final December, might be again on the famed Sandbelt for this yr’s males’s Open, to be performed on the Kingston Well being Golf Membership from December 3-6.
He’s sure to once more entice the eye of each native and worldwide media, with McIlroy’s return set to thrust Australian golf and our Open championship firmly into the highlight as soon as once more.
Regardless of failing to mount a severe difficult on the 2025 Australian Open, McIlroy nonetheless managed to thrill the large galleries earlier than finally ending in a tie for 14th, eight pictures behind the winner, Dane Rasmus Neergaard Peterson.
Neergaard Peterson, who beat Queenslander Cam Smith by one shot, acquired a Masters invite courtesy of his win at Royal Melbourne, nevertheless his seven-over par whole for the opening two rounds at Augusta left him three pictures shy of the 36-hole reduce.
Tickets for the 2026 males’s Australian Open are prone to be in excessive demand and on sale now through Ticketek.
