How Rory McIlroy won 2026 Masters: Golf star battles back from rough Saturday to win back-to-back green jackets
Rory McIlroy's journey to a second consecutive green jacket was anything but smooth.
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.
MORE: Who puts the green jacket on Rory McIlroy? 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.