With the win, McIlroy joins an elite group of just four players to win back-to-back Masters titles, becoming the first to do so since Tiger Woods achieved it in 2001\u201302.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A one-shot win over Scheffler gave McIlroy a 15-year span between his first and sixth major championships. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
McIlroy finished the tournament at 12-under-par with a closing round of 71, maintaining at least a share of the lead throughout all four rounds. After finally capturing his first Masters title last year to complete the career Grand Slam, a feat that took over a decade, he needed only one more year to add another green jacket to his collection.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on the win, McIlroy noted that while the pressure of completing the Grand Slam made last year particularly challenging, he came to appreciate that winning the Masters is always a formidable task regardless of circumstances.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the grand slam. And then this year, I realized it's just really difficult to win the Masters. I tried to convince myself it was both,\u201d he said after the win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Justin Rose, who entered the final nine holes with a two-shot advantage and was aiming to become one of the oldest champions at age 45, faltered with four bogeys and ultimately finished tied for third at 10-under alongside Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley, and Cameron Young. Rose had also fallen short to McIlroy in a playoff the previous year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite a bogey on the 18th hole, McIlroy managed to stay ahead of Scheffler, who delivered a strong final round of 68 and became the first player since World War II to complete the final 36 holes of the Masters without a single bogey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The victory brings McIlroy\u2019s total major championship wins to six, placing him level with Nick Faldo as the second-most successful European golfer in majors, behind only Harry Vardon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite a bogey on the 18th hole, McIlroy managed to stay ahead of Scheffler, who delivered a strong final round of 68 and became the first player since World War II to complete the final 36 holes of the Masters without a single bogey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I don't make it easy. I used to make it easy back in my early 20s when I was winning these things by eight shots. It's just hard. It's hard to win golf tournaments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n