Golf star Rory McIlroy waited 17 years for his first Green Jacket and then on Sunday did what only three golfers before him had managed, by winning a second Masters in a row.
The world number two, who let a record six-shot advantage slide on Saturday, capped a closing one-under-par 71 with a bogey that left him at 12 under on the week and one shot clear of Scottie Scheffler.
When his winning putt dropped, the Northern Irishman looked to the clear blue Georgia skies and let out a jubilant roar before hugging caddie Harry Diamond, while cheers of “Rory! Rory!” bounced off Augusta National’s towering pine trees.
“I just can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one Green Jacket and then I get two in a row,” said McIlroy. “I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has started to pay off.”
With the win, the 36-year-old joins Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1965), Nick Faldo (1989, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2002) as the only players to successfully defend their Masters title.
McIlroy, who joked earlier this week that Augusta National felt like his home course given he took multiple day trips on his private jet in recent weeks to prepare, is still hungry for more.
He now joins Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson as players with six major championships.
“I don’t want to put a number on it, but I feel like this win is just — I don’t want to say a stop on the journey, but yeah, it’s just a part of the journey,” said McIlroy. “I still have things I want to achieve.”