Rory McIlroy knows he does not make it easy for himself after he clinched the Masters title for a second successive season.

McIlroy became just the fourth player, after Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus, to go back-to-back at Augusta.

But he did not do it the easy way, despite holding a six-shot lead at the halfway stage.

A collapse on Saturday saw Cameron Young catch up with McIlroy, who started his final round poorly, enabling Justin Rose – who the Northern Irishman beat in a play-off at Augusta last year – to get himself into the lead.

Yet McIlroy found his groove on the final stretch, and despite a wobble on the last, carded a 71 to finish on 12 under par, one shot ahead of world number one Scottie Scheffler, who went bogey-free across the last two rounds.

"I don't make it easy. I used to make it easy back in my early 20s when I was winning these things by eight shots," said McIlroy.

"It's hard to win golf tournaments, especially around here.

"You've had maybe a couple of runaway winners over the years but it always seems to be a very tight finish at this golf course.

"I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the Grand Slam, and then this year I realised it's just really difficult to win the Masters.

"Just absolutely delighted to be able to get it done. 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."

Every shot from Rory McIlroy's final round. #themasters pic.twitter.com/fvwWI4bkHJ

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2026

McIlroy finally got over the line at Augusta last year, sealing the career Grand Slam and his fifth major crown.

"I can't believe I waited 17 times to get one Green Jacket and now I get two in a row," said McIlroy.

"All my perseverance at this golf course over the years has started to pay off."

Rose's frustration in Georgia rolled on, meanwhile, as he ultimately dropped off to finish tied for third.

At one stage on Sunday, the 45-year-old looked well set to become the oldest Masters champion since Nicklaus in 1986.

"I was by no means free and clear and was nowhere close to having the job done, but I was right in position," Rose said.

"I was really in control – the first 10 holes I felt like I was – and the mentality was to run through the finish line, not just try and get it done.

"I was playing great, but momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner. That three-putt was untimely for sure."