Rory McIlroy acknowledged that failing to convert his record-breaking halfway lead into a title defense at The Masters would have been a difficult outcome to accept. McIlroy made history by becoming the fourth golfer to win consecutive Masters titles, following his dramatic playoff victory over Justin Rose last year. Despite building a six-shot lead midway through the tournament, McIlroy found himself two shots behind Cameron Young during the final round after dropping three strokes in a two-hole stretch. However, he rebounded with four birdies over the remainder of the round, securing his sixth major title with a one-shot win over Scottie Scheffler.
McIlroy expressed his delight, stating that he did not expect to win with an even-par score over the weekend. With a six-shot lead going into the weekend, McIlroy recognized the pressure to perform, admitting that he does not make it easy for himself. He noted that winning golf tournaments, especially at The Masters, is challenging due to the nature of the course and the stakes involved.
McIlroy completed the third leg of the Grand Slam in 2014 but had 10 unsuccessful attempts to claim The Masters before finally winning back-to-back titles in his 17th and 18th appearances at Augusta National.