The Masters 2026: Gap-by-hole breakdown of Rory McIlroy’s historic title defence and one other main win at Augusta Nationwide

Rory McIlroy made extra main historical past with a profitable title defence at The Masters, with one other roller-coaster Sunday required to shut out victory at Augusta Nationwide.

McIlroy held the biggest 36-hole lead in event historical past however slipped right into a share of the lead heading into the ultimate day, the place he recovered from falling two behind to provide one other dramatic success.

The world No 2 trailed enjoying associate Cameron Younger and Justin Rose – the participant he edged out in a play-off to finish the Grand Slam final 12 months – at numerous factors through the last spherical, the place McIlroy posted back-to-back birdies from the seventh to get again on observe.

McIlroy added additional birdies round Amen Nook to maneuver three forward with 5 to play, then closed out a powerful victory regardless of bogeying his 72nd gap for a second successive 12 months.

Victory noticed McIlroy match Sir Nick Faldo’s tally of six main titles and sees him grow to be simply the fourth to win back-to-back editions of The Masters, following on from Jack Nicklaus, Faldo and Tiger Woods.

“I can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one Green Jacket and I get two in a row,” McIlroy mentioned. “I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off. It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday. But just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done.”

McIlroy’s final-round 71 included 5 birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey, with loads of gamers in rivalry throughout a particular main Sunday. Here is a hole-by-hole have a look at how McIlroy closed out one other main success…

Gap one

Younger opened with a two-putt par after discovering the green bunker off the tee. McIlroy hit two good photographs into the inexperienced however missed a 10-foot birdie probability, with a par two strokes higher than he managed to begin his last spherical final 12 months.

Burns, enjoying within the group forward, discovered a first-hole birdie to make it a three-way tie on the high.

Rating: -11 Younger, McIlroy, Burns (1)

Gap two

McIlroy needed to lay up from the green bunker however hit a wedge to inside 10 toes for his third shot. Younger’s pitch over a bunker trickled to 11 toes and arrange the birdie, which gave him the solo lead when McIlroy did not convert his effort.

Burns had undone his quick begin after discovering bushes off the tee and posting a double-bogey seven.

Rating: -12 Younger, -11 McIlroy, -9 Burns (2)

Gap three

Younger capitalised on an unbelievable break off the tee, the place his ball hit a tree and cannoned again onto the green, as he posted a two-putt par. McIlroy splashed out of the sand to eight toes and made his first birdie of the spherical.

Rating: -12 Younger, -12 McIlroy

Gap 4

McIlroy pulled his tee shot left of the inexperienced and hit a superb chip over the bunker to 9 toes, the place a three-putt double-bogey dropped him again to 10 beneath. Younger two-putted from the entrance of the inexperienced and jumped two clear.

Rating: -12 Younger, -10 McIlroy

Gap 5

Younger missed the inexperienced in regulation however holed a two-putt par, as McIlroy additionally made par to stay two behind.

Additional alongside the course, Henley posted back-to-back birdies from the seventh – the place Rose hit an unbelievable method from the bushes to arrange a kick-In birdie – to go away each tied-second with McIlroy.

Rating: -12 Younger, -10 McIlroy, -10 Henley (8), -10 Rose (7)

Gap six

Younger carded a three-putt bogey from 70 toes – having left his preliminary putt six toes brief – to fall again to 11 beneath and only one forward of Henley and Rose. McIlroy went lengthy and elected to putt from off the inexperienced, then missed his 12-footer to save lots of par.

Rating: -11 Younger, -10 Henley (9), -10 Rose (7), -9 McIlroy

Gap seven

Younger completed within the entrance bunker from the center of the green, then did not stand up and down – lacking from 10 toes – to register a second successive bogey and lose his share of the lead.

McIlroy closed the hole on his enjoying associate when a cast-iron shot arrange an eight-foot birdie, as Rose, two teams forward, birdied the par-five eighth and moved into the outright benefit.

Rating: -11 Rose (8), -10 McIlroy, -10 Younger

Gap eight

McIlroy walked after his ball after reaching the par-five inexperienced in two, the place a two-putt birdie from 25 toes lifted him to 11 beneath. Younger additionally picked up a shot to take a seat alongside McIlroy, as Rose rolled in a 15-foot birdie on the ninth to achieve the flip in 32 and keep one forward.

Rating: -12 Rose (9), -11 Younger, -11 McIlroy

Gap 9

Younger needed to pitch out of the pines after a wayward drive and noticed his ball roll right into a divot, with the American ultimately having to provide a sensible two-putt and restrict the harm to a bogey.

He dropped to tied-third alongside Hatton, who had charged up the leaderboard after 4 consecutive birdies from the thirteenth, as McIlroy did not capitalise on an excellent method as he missed a six-foot probability for a 3rd consecutive birdie.

Rating: -12 Rose (10), -11 McIlroy, 10 Younger, -10 Hatton (17)

Gap 10

A regulation two-putt par from McIlroy to begin the second 9 was sufficient to reclaim a share of the lead, as Rose completed wanting the par-four eleventh inexperienced and did not stand up and down. Henley additionally made par and stayed within the group one again.

Rating: -11 Rose (11), -11 McIlroy, -10 Younger, -10 Henley (13), -10 Hatton (F)

Gap 11

Rose misjudged a pitch from the again of the twelfth inexperienced and ultimately needed to get down in two to salvage a bogey, permitting McIlroy to reclaim the solo lead when he holed from eight toes on the eleventh for par. Younger additionally two-putted for par to stay on 10 beneath.

Rating: -11 McIlroy, -10 Younger, -10 Henley (14), -10 Hatton (F)

Gap 12

McIlroy fired an excellent tee shot to inside eight toes on the iconic par-three and holed the putt for birdie, which doubled his lead when Younger did not match his effort from a number of toes additional away.

Rating: -12 McIlroy, -10 Younger, -10 Rose (13), -10 Henley (15), -10 Hatton (F)

Gap 13

A second successive birdie prolonged McIlroy’s benefit, as he brilliantly judged a downhill two-putt from off the inexperienced. He transformed from 10 toes to get to 13 beneath and three away from Younger, who burned his birdie probability from the identical distance.

Rating: -13 McIlroy, -10 Younger, -10 Rose (14), -10 Henley (16), -10 Hatton (F)

Gap 14

McIlroy posted a stress-free par and Younger additionally stayed on the identical rating, though his lead was lowered when Scheffler birdied the par-three fifteenth and Rose took benefit of the par-five fifteenth.

Scores: -13 McIlroy, -11 Scheffler (16), -11 Rose (15), -10 Younger

Gap 15

McIlroy was blocked out by a tree and compelled to put up, together with his wedge shot narrowly clearing the water and permitting him to two-putt for par. Younger was unable to stand up and down from the again of the inexperienced and said three behind.

Scores: -13 McIlroy, -11 Scheffler (17), -11 Rose (16), -10 Younger

Gap 16

A protracted tee shot left a tough up and down from the again of the inexperienced for McIlroy, who judged the break completely to go away a close-range par. Younger hit his tee shot to inside 15 toes however noticed his birdie putt horseshoe out.

Within the group forward, Rose noticed his slim hopes ended when he missed a close-range putt to save lots of par.

Scores: -13 McIlroy, -11 Scheffler (F), -10 Rose (17), 10 Younger

Gap 17

McIlroy’s method from the center of the seventeenth fairway bounces off the inexperienced, though he safely two-putted from off the inexperienced to retain his two-shot buffer to the 72nd gap.

Scores: -13 McIlroy, -11 Scheffler (F) 10 Younger

Gap 18

Closing-hole drama appeared a risk when McIlroy discovered bushes off the tee, leaving him having to maneuver patrons to hit his method in the direction of the entrance of the inexperienced.

The ball completed within the greenside bunker and a sensible chip ran 15-feet previous, with McIlroy lagging to inside three inches and tapping in to finish victory.

Closing scores: -12 McIlroy, -11 Scheffler, -10 Younger, Henley, Rose, Hatton

What did McIlroy say?

Talking about how his win in comparison with final 12 months, McIlroy mentioned: “It felt pretty similar. I made a double early on the first hole last year and I made a double on four this year. I played flawless golf after that.

“I made four birdies and no bogeys going to the last tee knowing that I had a two-shot lead. It’s nice to have that two-shot cushion instead of the one like I had last year.

“I appeared on the board after I made the bogey on six and I feel I went again to 9 beneath at that time. I mentioned ‘okay, if I can get to 14 beneath, I feel I’ve acquired a extremely good probability of successful this event’. I did not fairly get there, however 13 beneath was adequate standing on the 18th tee.”

What’s next?

The next men’s major is the PGA Championship from May 14-17, held at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, also live on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract.