Masters 2026: Rory McIlroy makes history with back-to-back title wins
By Shivani Dubey | 13 April 2026 | Sport
Rory McIlroy has won Masters 2026, becoming only the fourth man in history to win back-to-back tournament titles
On Sunday, 12 April, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy made history as only the fourth man to ever win back-to-back Masters titles, after he clinched victory at the 2026 edition of the tournament. The other three men to have achieved this feat include Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
Rory McIlroy once again held off England’s Justin Rose, who had been aiming to become the oldest first-time Masters champion at 45 years old. This is McIlroy’s sixth career major, tying him with Faldo for the most by a European player in the modern era.
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The 90th Masters tournament took place at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, where the world’s leading golfers battled it out to be crowned champion at the biggest golfing tournament in the world.
McIlroy started strong in the tournament, staying 12-under after two rounds, opening a six-stroke lead over the rest of the field. He stumbled in the third round, falling into a tie with fellow golfer Cameron Young. However, he came back with a vengeance on Sunday, leading him to emerge victorious for the second year in a row.
“I can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one Green Jacket and now I get two in a row,” McIlroy said of his win. “All my perseverance at this golf course over the years has started to pay off.”
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“It was a tough weekend,” he added. “I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday, but just so happy to hang in there and get the job done.”
Besides his 2026 victory, Rory McIlroy has previously won the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014, the US Open in 2011 and the Open Championship in 2014, and the Masters in 2025, which enabled him to complete his career Grand Slam.
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