Rory McIlroy has made history once again with a thrilling title defense at The Masters, overcoming a rollercoaster Sunday to secure a dramatic victory at Augusta National. McIlroy, who held the largest 36-hole lead in tournament history, found himself in a share of the lead heading into the final day but recovered from falling two behind to claim another major success. The world No 2 trailed playing partner Cameron Young and Justin Rose at various points during the final round but posted back-to-back birdies from the seventh to get back on track. McIlroy added further birdies around Amen Corner to move three ahead with five to play, then closed out an impressive victory despite bogeying his 72nd hole for a second successive year.

With this win, McIlroy matches Sir Nick Faldo's tally of six major titles and becomes just the fourth to win back-to-back editions of The Masters, following in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus, Faldo, and Tiger Woods. "I'm still in disbelief that I had to wait 17 years for my first Green Jacket, and now I've won two in a row," McIlroy said.

"I think my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off. It was a tough weekend, but I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday. I'm just so happy to have hung in there and gotten the job done." McIlroy's final-round 71 included five birdies, a bogey, and a double-bogey, with several players in contention during a special major Sunday. Here's a hole-by-hole look at how McIlroy closed out another major success...

McIlroy began the final round with a par, two strokes better than his start last year. However, Young capitalized on an incredible break off the tee, where his ball hit a tree and cannoned back onto the fairway, to post a two-putt par and take the solo lead. McIlroy pulled his tee shot left of the green and hit a good chip over the bunker to nine feet, but a three-putt double-bogey dropped him back to 10 under. Young two-putted from the front of the green and jumped two clear.

McIlroy added birdies around Amen Corner to move three ahead with five to play, then closed out an impressive victory despite bogeying his 72nd hole for a second successive year. The next men's major is the PGA Championship from May 14-17, held at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania.