How Rory McIlroy won 2026 Masters: Golf star battles back from rough Saturday to win back-to-back green jackets

How Rory McIlroy won 2026 Masters: Golf star battles back from rough Saturday to win back-to-back green jackets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Rory McIlroy looked as though he might cruise to a second consecutive Masters win when he entered the weekend with a record six-shot lead, but it could never come easily for the reigning champion.

McIlroy saw his lead disappear on Saturday, and he fell behind by as many as three strokes at one point on Sunday when it looked like he might be swallowed up by a competitive field around him.

Instead, McIlroy rose from the ashes and confidently pulled back in front to secure a second green jacket and close out the tournament with much less stress than last year's intense finish.

Here's a breakdown of how McIlroy won the Masters for the second consecutive year.

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How Rory McIlroy won 2026 Masters

McIlroy got off to a shaky start on Sunday, birdying No. 3 but falling behind after a double bogey resulting from a missed short putt at No. 4 and another bogey at No. 6.

Right around where he started to unravel on Saturday, McIlroy gained momentum. McIlroy finished five shots better than Saturday at Amen Corner, which comprises the 11th, 12th and 13th holes. After par at No. 11, McIlroy attempted a bold shot over the water at No. 12 and birdied the Par 3 where so many players had struggled throughout the day due to winds.

McIlroy clearly felt the adrenaline at No. 13, as he unleashed a 350-foot tee shot that set up another birdie for a three-shot lead.

As is typically the case, winning required some fortune along the way. The biggest swing came after McIlroy's birdie at No. 12, as Justin Rose had a chance for eagle at about the same time but instead had to settle for par after two missed putts. What could have been a tie atop the leaderboard instead became a two-stroke lead for McIlroy, and that lead never went away.

A shot at No. 15 nearly put McIlroy in serious trouble, as he was mere feet from putting it in the water, but he got it on the green and gladly settled for par after the scare to preserve his lead.

While McIlroy settled for three consecutive pars between No.'s 14-17, no one took advantage and surged in front. Scottie Scheffler had a painful missed putt among his missed opportunities, and Cameron Young simply wasn't as precise as he was earlier in the round. McIlroy likely avoided major risks by design as he held onto a multi-shot lead.

A shot into the trees at No. 18 briefly put McIlroy's chances at risk, but simply needing to avoid a double bogey, it wasn't enough to prevent him from pulling it off. McIlroy played it safe on his second-to-last putt and happily took a bogey to win his second consecutive green jacket.

MORE: Complete list of Masters winners by year

Rory McIlroy scorecard today

Here's a look at McIlroy's scorecard from Sunday's fourth round:

McIlroy birdied at No. 3 but started to unravel with a double bogey at No. 4 and a bogey at No. 6. After No. 6, however, McIlroy didn't bogey again.

McIlroy finished the weekend with a 67-65-73-71 scorecard, dominating on Thursday and Friday before struggling to a 73 on Saturday. McIlroy's 71 on Sunday didn't quite match his first- or second-round performances, but he will gladly take it along with his second green jacket.