Rory McIlroy won the Masters on Sunday. On some level it all is rather not surprising given the events of the last year and change. On another level it is completely shocking given that the golf world very recently wondered if he would ever secure a green jacket and he now has two.
Much has rightfully been made about how Rory is the first repeat winner at Augusta since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. McIlroy is just the fourth ever to repeat at the tournament of all tournaments (Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo). It is a historic landmark to say the least.
Interestingly, this gives us another two-year run where a major champion is repeated across the landscape of men’s golf as Rory won a major in 2025 and now has taken home the first one in 2026. Obviously in this case they were the same tournament.
This unique run has happened a few times in recent history.
To be perfectly clear we began 2026 with this particular happening taking place this past year.
Scottie Scheffler won the Masters for a second time himself in 2024 (2022), and in 2025 he famously won both the PGA Championship and Open Championship. I had a bit of a choice when it came to photos to use, didn’t I?
This marked the first time in a handful of years that a single player won a major in consecutive seasons.
Prior to Scottie last year the most recent instance of a player winning major titles in consecutive seasons was Collin Morikawa. It is impossible to forget how Morikawa stormed to victory during the PGA Championship at Harding Park in 2020, and a year later he himself took home the Claret Jug.
This is when things were particularly impressive.
Brooks Koepka not only won majors in consecutive seasons, but he won them in three straight. Koepka took home the U.S. Open in 2018, both the PGA Championship and U.S. Open in 2018, and then the PGA Championship once more in 2019 (he would go on to win the PGA again in 2023 obviously).
At the time of the 2019 PGA Championship win, Brooks was the defending champion twice over at both the PGA and U.S. Open. Obviously that would only last a little while before Gary Woodland won the U.S. Open in 2019 at Pebble Beach.
While there were a pair of years where players won multiple majors in the same year in the run-up to Brooks (Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Rory McIlroy in 2014), Brooks obviously did it himself in 2018 as noted, prior to the run just mentioned the two-year stretch where a player won a major in consecutive seasons was Rory once more. Quite the full circle here.
McIlroy’s first major championship came at the U.S. Open in 2011 and then he won the PGA Championship for the first time in 2012. He would win the event in again in 2014, after winning the Open Championship, and set up the drought that was broken last year which started this whole discussion and the Career Grand Slam opportunity that he finally met.
Who will be the next player to win majors in consecutive seasons? At the moment only Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun (who won last year’s U.S. Open) are eligible to do it. Scottie can obviously win one for the third year in a row.
Rory will be again next year as well. Recent history shows it would be silly to bet against him.
Rory McIlroy won the Masters on Sunday. On some level it all is rather not surprising given the events of the last year and change. On another level it is completely shocking given that the golf world very recently wondered if he would ever secure a green jacket and he now has two.
Much has rightfully been made about how Rory is the first repeat winner at Augusta since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. McIlroy is just the fourth ever to repeat at the tournament of all tournaments (Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo). It is a historic landmark to say the least.
Interestingly, this gives us another two-year run where a major champion is repeated across the landscape of men’s golf as Rory won a major in 2025 and now has taken home the first one in 2026. Obviously in this case they were the same tournament.
This unique run has happened a few times in recent history.
To be perfectly clear we began 2026 with this particular happening taking place this past year.
Scottie Scheffler won the Masters for a second time himself in 2024 (2022), and in 2025 he famously won both the PGA Championship and Open Championship. I had a bit of a choice when it came to photos to use, didn’t I?
This marked the first time in a handful of years that a single player won a major in consecutive seasons.
Prior to Scottie last year the most recent instance of a player winning major titles in consecutive seasons was Collin Morikawa. It is impossible to forget how Morikawa stormed to victory during the PGA Championship at Harding Park in 2020, and a year later he himself took home the Claret Jug.
This is when things were particularly impressive.
Brooks Koepka not only won majors in consecutive seasons, but he won them in three straight. Koepka took home the U.S. Open in 2018, both the PGA Championship and U.S. Open in 2018, and then the PGA Championship once more in 2019 (he would go on to win the PGA again in 2023 obviously).
At the time of the 2019 PGA Championship win, Brooks was the defending champion twice over at both the PGA and U.S. Open. Obviously that would only last a little while before Gary Woodland won the U.S. Open in 2019 at Pebble Beach.
While there were a pair of years where players won multiple majors in the same year in the run-up to Brooks (Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Rory McIlroy in 2014), Brooks obviously did it himself in 2018 as noted, prior to the run just mentioned the two-year stretch where a player won a major in consecutive seasons was Rory once more. Quite the full circle here.
McIlroy’s first major championship came at the U.S. Open in 2011 and then he won the PGA Championship for the first time in 2012. He would win the event in again in 2014, after winning the Open Championship, and set up the drought that was broken last year which started this whole discussion and the Career Grand Slam opportunity that he finally met.
Who will be the next player to win majors in consecutive seasons? At the moment only Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun (who won last year’s U.S. Open) are eligible to do it. Scottie can obviously win one for the third year in a row.
Rory will be again next year as well. Recent history shows it would be silly to bet against him.
Rory McIlroy won the Masters on Sunday. On some level it all is rather not…
Apr 12, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Scottie Scheffler tips his hat to patrons as he…
Masters champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland with the Masters Trophy during the Green Jacket…
A year ago the anointed one from Northern Ireland conquered Augusta National at long last. As his playoff-clinching putt sank on 18 it forever altered the history of professional golf. McIlroy joined the ranks of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the only players to complete the Career Grand Slam.
On Sunday some more gates of history unlocked for Rory. By defending his title as Masters Champion with a victory, one that came with a few less dramatic twists than 2025, he joined Jack, Tiger, and Nick Faldo. Rory is amassing entry keys to the most exclusive clubs that the world of golf has to offer.
Rory was already the lone European to complete the Career Grand Slam and he now joins Faldo as the other to defend at Augusta National of all places. He is more than just the greatest golfer of his generation. He is unquestionably the greatest European player of all time.
Many posited that Rory’s first Masters win was poetic with regards to the overall path that he took to the iconic green jacket. It was chaotic. Emotional. Devastating. Enthralling. Captivating. A similar argument can be made that Rory’s defense of it was also true to his career form.
Consider that Rory held at least a share of the lead after each and every round of this year’s Masters. He has quite literally never finished a competitive Masters round as a Masters Champion without at least being tied for the lead.
This speaks to how his breakthrough empowered him. Winning at Augusta at long last very clearly unleashed Rory in a way that made him untouchable relative to his peers. This April Sunday at Augusta National did not feature the drama that last year did as it was the field who bowed to the mounting pressure… not Rory.
It was a matter of chasing down Rory for everyone else. Someone was going to have to rip that green jacket off of his shoulders and the fight to even get their hands around his shoulders proved too much for everyone. Tyrrell Hatton made a noble race of it all, Collin Morikawa had an incredible surge, but just when someone like Justin Rose or Cameron Young reached equal footing with Rory the intensity of it all proved too much and their games faded. Even the great Scottie Scheffler, who became the first player in Masters record books that date all the way back to 1942 to go bogey-free in the third and fourth round of the tournament, was no match.
Time has shown us that only one man is fit to carry the burden that making this kind of history demands. Only one player of this generation, only one European across the history of the world, has proven capable of living up the legend that so many were imploring them to be.
Rory McIlroy, this and last year’s Masters Champion, is that player. He is the greatest European player of all time beyond any doubt at this point and his super strength was just amplified. He has all of the individual accomplishments, all of the bells and whistles, leads his generation with individual major titles won at six now, and officially has multiple green jackets in his locker at Augusta National Golf Club. There is nothing that anyone has that he needs. He has it all.
Congratulations to Rory. Who knows what he will do next?
A year ago the anointed one from Northern Ireland conquered Augusta National at long last. As his playoff-clinching putt sank on 18 it forever altered the history of professional golf. McIlroy joined the ranks of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the only players to complete the Career Grand Slam.
On Sunday some more gates of history unlocked for Rory. By defending his title as Masters Champion with a victory, one that came with a few less dramatic twists than 2025, he joined Jack, Tiger, and Nick Faldo. Rory is amassing entry keys to the most exclusive clubs that the world of golf has to offer.
Rory was already the lone European to complete the Career Grand Slam and he now joins Faldo as the other to defend at Augusta National of all places. He is more than just the greatest golfer of his generation. He is unquestionably the greatest European player of all time.
Many posited that Rory’s first Masters win was poetic with regards to the overall path that he took to the iconic green jacket. It was chaotic. Emotional. Devastating. Enthralling. Captivating. A similar argument can be made that Rory’s defense of it was also true to his career form.
Consider that Rory held at least a share of the lead after each and every round of this year’s Masters. He has quite literally never finished a competitive Masters round as a Masters Champion without at least being tied for the lead.
This speaks to how his breakthrough empowered him. Winning at Augusta at long last very clearly unleashed Rory in a way that made him untouchable relative to his peers. This April Sunday at Augusta National did not feature the drama that last year did as it was the field who bowed to the mounting pressure… not Rory.
It was a matter of chasing down Rory for everyone else. Someone was going to have to rip that green jacket off of his shoulders and the fight to even get their hands around his shoulders proved too much for everyone. Tyrrell Hatton made a noble race of it all, Collin Morikawa had an incredible surge, but just when someone like Justin Rose or Cameron Young reached equal footing with Rory the intensity of it all proved too much and their games faded. Even the great Scottie Scheffler, who became the first player in Masters record books that date all the way back to 1942 to go bogey-free in the third and fourth round of the tournament, was no match.
Time has shown us that only one man is fit to carry the burden that making this kind of history demands. Only one player of this generation, only one European across the history of the world, has proven capable of living up the legend that so many were imploring them to be.
Rory McIlroy, this and last year’s Masters Champion, is that player. He is the greatest European player of all time beyond any doubt at this point and his super strength was just amplified. He has all of the individual accomplishments, all of the bells and whistles, leads his generation with individual major titles won at six now, and officially has multiple green jackets in his locker at Augusta National Golf Club. There is nothing that anyone has that he needs. He has it all.
Congratulations to Rory. Who knows what he will do next?
Rory McIlroy stands alone. And then some.
A year ago the anointed one from Northern Ireland conquered Augusta National at long last. As his playoff-clinching putt sank on 18 it forever altered the history of professional golf. McIlroy joined the ranks of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the only players to complete the Career Grand Slam.
On Sunday some more gates of history unlocked for Rory. By defending his title as Masters Champion with a victory, one that came with a few less dramatic twists than 2025, he joined Jack, Tiger, and Nick Faldo. Rory is amassing entry keys to the most exclusive clubs that the world of golf has to offer.
Rory was already the lone European to complete the Career Grand Slam and he now joins Faldo as the other to defend at Augusta National of all places. He is more than just the greatest golfer of his generation. He is unquestionably the greatest European player of all time.
Many posited that Rory’s first Masters win was poetic with regards to the overall path that he took to the iconic green jacket. It was chaotic. Emotional. Devastating. Enthralling. Captivating. A similar argument can be made that Rory’s defense of it was also true to his career form.
Consider that Rory held at least a share of the lead after each and every round of this year’s Masters. He has quite literally never finished a competitive Masters round as a Masters Champion without at least being tied for the lead.
This speaks to how his breakthrough empowered him. Winning at Augusta at long last very clearly unleashed Rory in a way that made him untouchable relative to his peers. This April Sunday at Augusta National did not feature the drama that last year did as it was the field who bowed to the mounting pressure… not Rory.
It was a matter of chasing down Rory for everyone else. Someone was going to have to rip that green jacket off of his shoulders and the fight to even get their hands around his shoulders proved too much for everyone. Tyrrell Hatton made a noble race of it all, Collin Morikawa had an incredible surge, but just when someone like Justin Rose or Cameron Young reached equal footing with Rory the intensity of it all proved too much and their games faded. Even the great Scottie Scheffler, who became the first player in Masters record books that date all the way back to 1942 to go bogey-free in the third and fourth round of the tournament, was no match.
Time has shown us that only one man is fit to carry the burden that making this kind of history demands. Only one player of this generation, only one European across the history of the world, has proven capable of living up the legend that so many were imploring them to be.
Rory McIlroy, this and last year’s Masters Champion, is that player. He is the greatest European player of all time beyond any doubt at this point and his super strength was just amplified. He has all of the individual accomplishments, all of the bells and whistles, leads his generation with individual major titles won at six now, and officially has multiple green jackets in his locker at Augusta National Golf Club. There is nothing that anyone has that he needs. He has it all.
Congratulations to Rory. Who knows what he will do next?
Rory McIlroy stands alone. And then some.A year ago the anointed one from Northern Ireland…
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 11: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts on the 17th green…
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 11: Cameron Young of the United States plays his shot from…
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 11: Scottie Scheffler of the United States hits his second shot…
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 11: Shane Lowry of Ireland reacts on the second green during…
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 11: Shane Lowry of Ireland plays his shot from the fourth…
McIlroy had long chased a Masters victory, the final infinity stone in his personal Career Grand Slam quest, and the general consensus was that the psychological relief from capturing it would lead to a different type of play from Rory across the rest of his career. Maybe even specifically on the grounds where he broke through.
Given that Rory has had at least a share of the lead in every Masters round he has played as a winner of the tournament, it has only been two to be clear, that sort of makes sense! McIlroy walked off of Augusta National’s 18th green with an impressive 6-shot lead over the next-closest challengers (Patrick Reed and Sam Burns) and is a weekend away from being the first person to win consecutive Masters tournaments since Tiger Woods a quarter century ago. He has literally doubled the under par score of both Reed and Burns. Birdieing 6 of your final 7 holes will do that.
Time will tell what challenges lurk for McIlroy to win his 6th career major championship and if it will come on Sunday evening. Right now he is playing as if it will indeed. And he is proving that he can get it done in any way, shape, form, or fashion. Consider that at the moment he has hit 13 of 28 possible fairways. Imagine what will happen over the weekend if that gets dialed in?
You never know when it comes to Augusta National. That is the beauty of it all.
McIlroy had long chased a Masters victory, the final infinity stone in his personal Career Grand Slam quest, and the general consensus was that the psychological relief from capturing it would lead to a different type of play from Rory across the rest of his career. Maybe even specifically on the grounds where he broke through.
Given that Rory has had at least a share of the lead in every Masters round he has played as a winner of the tournament, it has only been two to be clear, that sort of makes sense! McIlroy walked off of Augusta National’s 18th green with an impressive 6-shot lead over the next-closest challengers (Patrick Reed and Sam Burns) and is a weekend away from being the first person to win consecutive Masters tournaments since Tiger Woods a quarter century ago. He has literally doubled the under par score of both Reed and Burns. Birdieing 6 of your final 7 holes will do that.
Time will tell what challenges lurk for McIlroy to win his 6th career major championship and if it will come on Sunday evening. Right now he is playing as if it will indeed. And he is proving that he can get it done in any way, shape, form, or fashion. Consider that at the moment he has hit 13 of 28 possible fairways. Imagine what will happen over the weekend if that gets dialed in?
You never know when it comes to Augusta National. That is the beauty of it all.
When Rory McIlroy finally sipped a green jacket over his shoulders after winning the Masters last year, many posited that the floodgates would open.
McIlroy had long chased a Masters victory, the final infinity stone in his personal Career Grand Slam quest, and the general consensus was that the psychological relief from capturing it would lead to a different type of play from Rory across the rest of his career. Maybe even specifically on the grounds where he broke through.
Given that Rory has had at least a share of the lead in every Masters round he has played as a winner of the tournament, it has only been two to be clear, that sort of makes sense! McIlroy walked off of Augusta National’s 18th green with an impressive 6-shot lead over the next-closest challengers (Patrick Reed and Sam Burns) and is a weekend away from being the first person to win consecutive Masters tournaments since Tiger Woods a quarter century ago. He has literally doubled the under par score of both Reed and Burns. Birdieing 6 of your final 7 holes will do that.
Time will tell what challenges lurk for McIlroy to win his 6th career major championship and if it will come on Sunday evening. Right now he is playing as if it will indeed. And he is proving that he can get it done in any way, shape, form, or fashion. Consider that at the moment he has hit 13 of 28 possible fairways. Imagine what will happen over the weekend if that gets dialed in?
You never know when it comes to Augusta National. That is the beauty of it all.
When Rory McIlroy finally sipped a green jacket over his shoulders after winning the Masters…
