Rory McIlroy goes back-to-back at the Masters to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- Rory McIlroy joined much elite institution Sunday astatine the Masters erstwhile helium pulled distant with a brace of birdies astir Amen Corner and, arsenic usual, saved a small play for the extremity earlier taking his spot successful Augusta National past arsenic lone the 4th back-to-back champion.

In a last circular wherever 3 players had a two-shot lead, McIlroy seized power for bully with a bold changeable implicit Rae's Creek to 7 feet for birdie connected the par-3 12th. Then helium blistered a 350-yard thrust connected the par-5 13th that acceptable up different birdie to determination 3 shots ahead.

There were a fewer dicey moments, including a changeable implicit the par-3 16th greenish that required him to usage the slope to get successful adjacent for par, and a chaotic thrust connected the 18th that coiled up person to the 10th fairway. He tapped successful for bogey and a 1-under 71 for a one-shot triumph implicit Scottie Scheffler.

A twelvemonth ago, his playoff triumph implicit Justin Rose made McIlroy lone the sixth subordinate with the vocation Grand Slam. With different greenish jacket, McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus arsenic the lone repetition winners of the Masters.

"A fewer guys made a run, but thing similar Justin past twelvemonth with that 66," McIlroy said. "Some bully play by me, and fortunately, immoderate guys didn't travel aft maine this year."

McIlroy stood gangly erstwhile helium tapped successful the last putt to decorativeness astatine 12-under 276. There was nary alleviation similar past twelvemonth of going 17 years trying to triumph the Masters. This was axenic joy.

It was much heartache for Rose, and vexation for the others who had a chance.

Rose had a two-shot pb that evaporated astir Amen Corner with 2 bogeys and a three-putt par. He couldn't marque up capable crushed the remainder of the mode and had to settee for a 3rd adjacent telephone astatine the Masters.

Cameron Young mislaid his two-shot pb overmuch earlier with a agelong three-putt bogey connected the par-3 sixth and taking bogey connected the adjacent spread erstwhile helium deed wedge from the fairway into a bunker. One changeable down going to the backmost nine, Young closed with 9 consecutive pars.

As for Scheffler, the world's No. 1 subordinate was successful presumption to shatter the Masters grounds with the largest 36-hole comeback successful history. He was 12 down going into the weekend. He was 2 shots down arsenic helium approached the turn. But helium ran disconnected 11 consecutive pars - that wasn't going to chopped it during a last circular with accessible pins to make excitement.

Scheffler had to settee for his 3rd runner-up decorativeness successful the majors to spell on with 4 titles. His 65-68 play made him the archetypal subordinate since 1942 to spell bogey-free connected the play astatine Augusta.

"I enactment up a bully combat successful bid to springiness myself a chance," Scheffler said.

Rose, astatine property 45, trying to go the second-oldest Masters champion down Jack Nicklaus (46) successful 1986, made it consciousness arsenic though this was going to beryllium his time. He made a astir improbable birdie with a changeable retired of the trees to a ft connected the seventh. That was the commencement of 3 consecutive birdies to adjacent retired the beforehand 9 and springiness him the lead.

But his attack to the 11th was good to the right, and helium failed to prevention par. His tee changeable connected the 12th was long, and his delicate spot didn't scope the green, starring to different bogey. And past his 30-foot eagle putt connected the par-5 13th ran 8 feet by the hole, and helium missed the birdie putt.

"Chance that got away," Rose said. "I was by nary means escaped and wide and was obscurity benignant of adjacent to having the occupation done, but I was close successful position. ... I was truly successful control. And the mentality was to tally done the decorativeness line, not conscionable effort and get it done.

"I was playing great, but conscionable momentum shifted for maine astir the Amen Corner."

At the end, it was a present acquainted champion, McIlroy, erstwhile tormented by his pursuit for the greenish overgarment and present a two-time victor whose emotion for the Masters lone deepens.

He was truthful ecstatic a twelvemonth agone that helium asked the media erstwhile it was over, "What are we going to speech astir adjacent year?" Now the taxable is easy. No 1 has ever won 3 successful a row.