McIlroy Claims Thrilling Masters Victory with Historic Performance

Rory McIlroy etched his name into golf history with a thrilling title defense at The Masters, overcoming a rollercoaster Sunday to claim his second consecutive victory at Augusta National. McIlroy, who held the largest 36-hole lead in tournament history, slipped into a share of the lead heading into the final day but recovered from falling two behind to secure a dramatic win. The world No 2 trailed playing partners Cameron Young and Justin Rose at various points during the final round but produced 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, before closing out an impressive victory despite bogeying his 72nd hole for the second successive year. The victory saw McIlroy match Sir Nick Faldo's tally of six major titles, becoming just the fourth player 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 all my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has finally paid 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 breakdown of how McIlroy closed out another major success... McIlroy made history in a Masters thriller, and you can stream the majors and more with no contract. The next men's major is the PGA Championship from May 14-17, held at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, also live on Sky Sports.