Published: April 27, 2026
The Masters Tournament is an annual tournament played at Augusta National Golf Course in Georgia and happens every April, and is considered one of the “big four” of golf. It is followed by the PGA Championship in May, the U.S. Open in June, and then The Open Championship in July. It is rare for a golfer to win all four tournaments in their lifetime, and no golfer has ever won all four in the same year. However, winning all four in your lifetime puts you on a short list of the greats. Achieving this is considered a golf “grand slam.” In 2025, Rory McIlroy completed his grand slam when he received his green jacket after winning the Masters tournament. He joined the exclusive group of six golfers. McIlroy waited 17 years to finally get his first green jacket, and now, after the 2026 Masters Tournament, he has two, within two years. McIlroy is the first back-to-back Masters Champion since 2001-2002, when Tiger Woods did it. This year’s win gave McIlroy his seventh major championship.
The 2026 Masters Tournament ran from April 9th to 12th. Rory wasn’t even in the top five by the end of the first day, so the reigning champs’ odds were looking slim. Even though there was plenty of time to catch up, being down by multiple strokes in a professional tournament can be detrimental. Many people saw Scottie Scheffler creeping up slowly onto the leaderboard. However, McIlroy didn’t let that affect his mental stamina.
During the second round, McIlroy had a record-setting six-point lead after only 36 holes. Allowing him to shoot up to the number one spot on the leaderboard. Then on Saturday, during round three, McIlroy struggled and lost the lead to end up going into Sunday tied with Cameron Young. Entering the final day, being tied at the top of the leaderboard, McIlroy, in a dramatic turn of events, lost his lead. But in Rory fashion, he came right back and reclaimed his rightful spot at first.
Rory McIlroy finished the tournament at 12-under par, narrowly defeating Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. During this historic run, McIlroy drew huge television ratings, with nearly 14 million viewers, which is the best Masters final-round audience in 11 years. This win further strengthened McIlroy’s reputation for perseverance, especially after years of pressure and expectations at Augusta National, especially doing it two years in a row. After this huge win for Rory, many analysts said the 2026 Masters moved McIlroy into the conversation of the all-time greats in golf history. Rory’s mental toughness and kind sportsmanship are truly what have gotten him so far. I’m excited to see what he is capable of at the next three major tournaments coming up this summer.
