Rory McIlroy has become the first player since Tiger Woods to win back-to-back Masters titles after a captivating final round at Augusta National.
After the event was blown wide open on Saturday, when McIlroy’s six-shot lead was wiped out, it left a host of players harboring a realistic chance of winning the Green Jacket.
However, there were some big names lurking not far behind them, including two-time winner Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose, who McIlroy beat in a playoff last year.
Even with so many potential champions in the mix, most of the attention was on McIlroy as he and Young reached the first tee box.
That was not only because the co-leader was bidding to become only the fourth player to claim back-to-back Masters titles, and the first since Woods in 2002, but also because it was almost impossible to know which version of the player we would get.
Cameron Young began the day in a tie for the lead with McIlroy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Would it be the explosive talent who made six birdies in his last seven holes on Friday to take control of the event, or the one who was erratic on Saturday as his grip on proceedings loosened?
One thing was clear, he didn’t seem as nervous as a year ago, when he lost a two-shot lead in short order against Bryson DeChambeau before eventually, via a nerve-shredding round for the ages, claiming his first Green Jacket.
He wasn’t rattled when Young took the solo lead on the second with his first birdie of the day. Indeed, he responded on the third with one of his own.
At that point, the two out in front led by three and it briefly looked as though they could slug it out between them.
Just when McIlroy looked to be settling, though, he three-putted at the par-3 fourth for his second double-bogey of the week and suddenly, his playing partner led by two. Soon after, McIlroy was joined in second place by Russell Henley, who birdied the eighth.
Rose was about to make his move, and a brilliant recovery from the pine straw at the seventh gave him a tap-in for birdie…
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