There were moments this week when it looked like Rory McIlroy might let the Masters slip through his fingers.
According to the New York Post, by Sunday evening at Augusta National Golf Club, he was slipping on another green jacket instead.
McIlroy capped a turbulent tournament with a one-shot victory, finishing at 12-under par to secure his second straight Masters title.
The win came after a nerve-rattling final round that nearly unraveled on the 18th hole, where his tee shot drifted into the trees before he managed to steady himself and close it out.
It marked a rare achievement in tournament history. Only three players before him — Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods — have successfully defended a Masters title.
The path to victory was anything but smooth.
McIlroy appeared to have firm control early in the week, building a six-shot lead through the first two rounds. But that cushion vanished on Saturday, when he carded a 1-over 73 and watched the field surge back into contention.
By the start of Sunday, he was tied for the lead and facing a crowded leaderboard.
“I’d like to think that I’ll play a little bit freer and I’ll play like I’ve already got a green jacket, which I do,’’ McIlroy said after his difficult third round.
He delivered on that mindset when it mattered most.
After a steady start to the final round, McIlroy made his decisive move at Amen Corner — the same stretch that had troubled him earlier in the week. A precise tee shot on the 12th set up a birdie that gave him breathing room.
He followed it with another key moment at the par-5 13th, where he capitalized with a birdie after a powerful drive, extending his lead to three shots with five holes to play.
The challengers didn’t fade quietly.
Scottie Scheffler mounted a late charge, birdieing two of the final four holes to reach 11-under. Justin Rose, Cam Young, Russell Henley, and Tyrrell Hatton all finished within striking distance at 10-under.
Scheffler, the world No. 1, had put himself in position with a strong weekend but couldn’t find the final push.
“That’s what great players and great competitors do is they’re able to rise to the occasion,’’ Scheffler said a day earlier.
On Sunday, McIlroy was the one who did just that.
Even with late pressure mounting and a shaky moment on the final tee, he held on — completing a week filled with momentum swings, near misses, and clutch shots.
In the end, it added up to history again.
