McIlroy wins Masters again, edges Scheffler by one

Rory McIlroy captured the Masters on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, earning a second straight Green Jacket and adding another major title to his record.

McIlroy, who is ranked world number two, ended the week at 12 under par after signing for a one-under-par 71 in the final round. He finished one shot in front of world number one Scottie Scheffler, who posted a 68 after starting the day four shots back but ultimately remained in second place.

The closing round included an early setback for McIlroy, who made a double bogey at the par-three fourth hole. Despite that difficult moment, he held his advantage through the remainder of the round and secured the title with a one-stroke margin.

With the win, McIlroy became the fourth golfer to claim back-to-back Masters victories. Officials noted he is also the first player to repeat at Augusta since Tiger Woods in 2002, placing the 2026 result in a rare historical category for the tournament.

The victory was described as McIlroy’s sixth major championship. Behind the top two, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley, and Cameron Young finished tied for third place.

Beyond the leaderboard, the result underscores how tightly contested the top of men’s golf remains, with the world’s top two players separated by a single shot at one of the sport’s most closely watched events. The Masters is staged in the United States but draws global attention, and the outcome can influence sponsorship visibility, media rights value, and international fan engagement tied to the sport’s biggest tournaments.

What remains less clear from the available details is how the final-round momentum shifted hole by hole after McIlroy’s double bogey, and which specific moments prevented Scheffler’s 68 from fully erasing the deficit. The published information also does not specify the exact sequence of scoring swings late in the round, beyond the final one-shot margin.

McIlroy’s repeat title at Augusta closes another Masters week with a familiar pattern: a late Sunday push from a challenger, a narrow finish, and a champion who managed pressure well enough to keep control of the tournament’s defining moments.