Rory McIlroy's long wait for a green jacket ended last year as he completed the career Grand Slam. He just won his second as quickly as humanly possible by building a big lead and then holding on for dear life before that back nine winning gene activated on Sunday. Though he held a historic six-stroke edge headed into the weekend, a pedestrian Saturday allowed a cadre of low-scoring chasers to make a run and dethroning him. McIlroy surrendered the lead in both of the final rounds yet took control for good with an inspired trek around Amen Corner. All of this led to the cushion of a two-shot lead as he stood on No. 18, knowing he needed only to bogey the final test to become the third back-to-back winner in Masters history.
And he would need every bit of that buffer after sailing a drive far right into the trees and burying his second shot in a greenside bunker. McIlroy, without batting much of an eye, lofted his third shot onto the green and employed two putts to clinch the championship.
