Tommy’s Take - Make mine a double
AUGUSTA, Ga. — So, Rory McIlroy has gone and done it. The Northern Irishman is now a back‑to‑back Masters champion, and in doing so he’s joined one of the most exclusive clubs in golf.
Let’s start with the numbers. After 36 holes, McIlroy was flying. He opened with rounds of 67‑65 to build a record six‑shot lead at 12‑under par, capping off his second round with six birdies in his last seven holes. It looked like a procession. Then came Saturday. The third round was a struggle – a 1‑over 73 that saw him lose that huge advantage, with his putter going cold and his usually reliable driving letting him down. It was a brutal day, especially through Amen Corner, where he found water on 11 and made a mess of the par‑3 12th.
But champions hang in there. On Sunday, Rory shot a final round of 71 to finish at 12‑under par. It wasn’t straightforward, though. On the 18th tee, he hit it way right, then hooked one back to the front‑left trap, splashed it out, and two‑putted to close it out. He also made a huge up‑and‑down on 17 to give himself a two‑shot cushion heading to the last – a cushion he actually needed in the end.
By winning, McIlroy becomes just the fourth player ever to win back‑to‑back Masters championships, following in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods. It’s an amazing achievement. And it’s almost like waiting for a London bus: you wait ages for one, then two come along at once. Two Masters in quick succession. This is his sixth major title, moving him alongside Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson. That’s illustrious company.
The final day itself was funny. Justin Rose had the front nine he’d possibly dreamed of the night before, draining putts to get it to 12‑under and take the lead. But then he hit Amen Corner and the wheels came off. He bogeyed 11, then dunched his chip shot on 12 which lead to another momentum stopping bogey. After hitting it to about 20 feet for an eagle putt on 13, he proceeded to three‑putt for par. He walked off that green thinking he’d effectively dropped three shots on the field. For Rose, another great opportunity slips by.
Scottie Scheffler finished alone in second place on 11‑under. Cameron Young, Russell Henley,Justin Rose, and Tyrrell Hatton all finished at 10‑under in joint third. Young had a good showing after his Players Championship victory, but he didn’t quite fire in the final round playing alongside Rory. Every time Rory looked at the leaderboard, especially from hole 10 onwards, nobody could quite get close enough to him to really crank up the pressure.
As for the calendar slam? Nobody has ever won all four majors in one year. And if you don’t win the first one, you can’t do it. So who knows? Rory might well do something truly incredible from here. But for now, he got the job done. He hung in there. Amazing to watch. Bring on the rest of the year.
Enjoy the walk.