Rory-peat at Masters has McIlroy hungry for more Majors

AUGUSTA – Winning back-to-back Masters titles has Rory McIlroy yearning for even more Major success.

A year after winning his first Masters completed a career Grand Slam and ended a 10-year Major win drought, the 36-year-old feels like there is more to come following his sixth Major triumph at Augusta National on April 12.

He closed with a one-under 71 on April 12 that left him at 12-under 276 for the week and one shot clear of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (68). Cameron Young (73), Justin Rose (70), Russell Henley (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (66) finished tied for third on 10-under.

“I’m not putting a number on it but I certainly don’t want to stop here,” McIlroy said.

He matched Englishman Nick Faldo with six career Major triumphs, one shy of the European record set by Britain’s Harry Vardon from 1896 to 1914. Let the debate begin over Europe’s all-time top golfer.

“There’s obviously going to be that conversation, and that debate is going to be hard, but it’s a cool conversation to be a part of,” the Northern Irishman said.

“It took me 10 years to win my fifth Major and then my sixth one has come pretty soon after it.”

But for former champion Sergio Garcia, it was a day to forget, as he said he was “not super proud” of his behaviour after smashing his driver on the second hole.

The Spaniard, who won the Green Jacket in 2017, began the day 16 shots behind the leaders and was already one over for his round when his tee shot at the par-five second flew into the right fairway bunker.

Garcia repeatedly struck the turf with his driver before snapping the club when he hit a cooler beside the tee. Under the rules, he was unable to replace the club because it had been damaged in anger, leaving him without a driver for the remaining 16 holes.

He finished at three-over 75 for the day and eight-over for the event, 20 shots behind McIlroy.

Asked how much more difficult it was to play without a driver, he was blunt. “It makes it very easy. I just have to hit three-wood all the time. I didn’t have to choose another club.”

As for the champion, one reason McIlroy’s confidence is boosted is a different feel after this win compared to 2025, when victory and the Grand Slam felt like long-sought accomplishments.

“I felt like the Grand Slam was the destination and I realised it wasn’t,” he said. “I just won my sixth Major and I feel like I’m in a really good spot with my game and my body.

“I feel like this win is just a part of the journey. I still have things I want to achieve, but I still want to enjoy it as well.

“I’ve waited so long to win the Masters, and all of a sudden, I win two in a row, so I still want to enjoy it... I don’t think I’ll go through that lull of motivation or the sort of things I was feeling last year post winning this tournament.”

While he struggled after the 2025 victory over the magnitude and enormity of the achievement, this one came as more of a relief after woeful tee shots saw him squander a tournament-record six-stroke lead after 36 holes.

“Just absolutely delighted to be able to get it done,” he said. “Having a six-shot lead going into the weekend, it would have been a bitter pill to swallow if I wasn’t able to get myself over the finish line.”

Scheffler praised McIlroy’s resilience, saying: “You don’t win the amount of tournaments that he’s won out here without being pretty resilient... I knew going into today I was going to have to do something special if I wanted to catch him.”

Victory came after his tee shot at No. 18 soared way right over trees. He curled an approach into a greenside bunker and salvaged bogey for a one-stroke victory over the American, who had a bogey-free weekend while McIlroy played the last 36 holes at level par.

“Walking off the 18th tee not knowing where my ball was, I think that was the moment of greatest stress,” he said. “It could be anywhere.”

There was no emotional drop to his knees or crying after this win as there had been a year ago.

“I was just like, ‘I can’t believe I’ve just done it again’,” McIlroy said. “More joy. Not as emotional, but just, ‘Wow, it’s amazing. I can’t believe I did it again.’”

The celebration, however, will be as great as in 2025.

“We lose a lot more in golf than we win, so I think when the winning comes around, you have to celebrate it to the fullest,” he said.

The world No. 2 sees a method for future Majors in his latest win.

“It’s a good blueprint,” he said. “I’m not going to take three weeks off before every Major, but to get to the Major venues early, do your preparation, actually play. Go out there with one ball, shoot a score, and try to do it that way.

“I did a little bit of that leading up to here, and I think that’s certainly a good way to prepare going into the next Majors.”

He did learn a key lesson.

“I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the Grand Slam,” McIlroy said. “This year I realised it’s just really difficult to win the Masters.” AFP, REUTERS