Masters 2026 Recap

Rory McIlroy won on Sunday at Augusta National by winning his second straight Masters Tournament to join golf greats like Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods as the only players to win back-to-back. The pathway to get there was certainly not easy, but it was great to watch. McIlroy and Sam Burns shared the opening round lead with a score of 67. Rory hit three straight birdies on holes 13 through 15 after a rough start. By the end of Friday or day 2, McIlroy had a 6 shot lead against his opponents. This dominant performance even raised the question if other players would catch him. Saturday fulfilled this when he bogeyed on the first hole, doubled on the 11th, and bogeyed on the 12th. This allowed Cameron Young, a player who was eight shots back, to even up with Rory. This one day potentially changed the trajectory of the tournament. Rory fell behind early on the final day as other players like Young and Justin Rose had the top of the leaderboard. Through the first nine holes, it was uncertain whether Rory would be able to pull a comeback after choking his 6 shot lead. However, momentum switched with back-to-back birdies on hole 12 and 13. The other opponents messed up in their own ways, allowing Rory to end up at the top with a 12-under 276 score, with Scottie Scheffler in second, and a five way tie at third. This was his sixth major title which ties him for 12th on the all-time list. For years, Augusta has seen heartbreaking performances from Rory. Despite this, he was never finished. He even said it himself: “The jacket still fits.”