Rory McIlroy clinched a second consecutive Masters on Sunday, becoming only the fourth player ever to defend the green jacket. The 36‑year‑old hoisted his sixth major title, joining an elite club that includes Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. The victory also made him the golfer to achieve a back‑to‑back Masters triumph, birdieing the 18th and finishing two strokes clear.

McIlroy burst onto the scene with four majors between 2011 and 2014, sparking talk of a future career Grand Slam. A painful 11‑year gap followed, with a miss at the 2018 Masters and recent U.S. Opens. At 36, his rigorous fitness regime and leg‑focused training are credited for extending his competitive window. His fitness draws praise from Ken Brown, who said McIlroy trains an hour daily on legs.

European rivals now view McIlroy as the continent’s greatest, having matched Sir Nick Faldo’s six majors and eclipsed Seve Ballesteros on the Race to Dubai leaderboard. He sits ahead of Brooks Koepka and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler in major count, cementing his status as the pre‑eminent star of his generation.