Rory McIlroy goes back-to-back, Scottie Scheffler finishes runner-up; Aaron Rai places 48th

Augusta: There were many heart-stopping moments before Rory McIlroy became a member of another elite club after having just joined exactly a year ago at the same venue. His first Green Jacket made him the sixth player to complete a career Slam and his second Green Jacket made him only the fourth to become a back-to-back at Augusta.

Starting the weekend six clear, he dropped into shared lead 18 holes later. And then in the fourth round, he even fell two back as three players held two-shot leads at various points.

After being behind, then he pulled away with a pair of birdies around Amen Corner. Amidst a lot of drama, McIlroy seized lead for good with a bold shot over Rae’s Creek to 7 feet for birdie on the par-3 12th. Then he smashed a 350-yard drive on the par-5 13th that set up another birdie to move three shots ahead.

There was a tense moments, including a shot over the par-3 16th green that required him to use the slope to get in close for par, and a wild drive on the 18th that wound up closer to the 10th fairway. He tapped in for bogey and a 1-under 71 for a one-shot victory over Scottie Scheffler.

A year ago, his playoff victory over Justin Rose made McIlroy only the sixth player with the career Grand Slam. With another green jacket, McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only repeat winners of the Masters.

“I just can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket, and I get two in a row,” said McIlroy. “I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off. It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday. But just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done.”

McIlroy tapped in the final putt to finish at 12-under 276. He was 12-under for the first 36 holes and was even par for the next 36, as he followed up 67-65 with 73-71. For the first time since 2002 when Woods went back-to-back, the Augusta National chairman, Fred Ridley, had to help him into the green jacket.

Indo-British star Aaron Rai (70) finished 48th with 71-74-78-70 for 5-over total but Akshay Bhatia missed the cut with 73-77. Sahith Theegala did not make it to the field.

Rose had a two-shot lead that disappeared around Amen Corner with two bogeys and a three-putt par. He couldn't make up enough ground the rest of the way and had to settle for another close call at the Masters.

Cameron Young lost his two-shot lead much earlier with a long three-putt bogey on the par-3 sixth and taking bogey on the next hole when he hit wedge from the fairway into a bunker. One shot behind going to the back nine, Young closed with nine straight pars.

Scheffler, the world's No. 1 player was in position to shatter the Masters record with the largest 36-hole comeback in history. He was 12 behind going into the weekend. He was two shots behind as he approached the turn. But he ran off 11 straight pars and that did not help, as he ended at 11-under, which ultimately was just one shot less than the winner. It was his third runner-up finish in a Major. His 65-68 weekend made him the first player since 1942 to go bogey-free on the weekend at Augusta.

Rose, at 45 was trying to become the second-oldest Masters champion behind Jack Nicklaus (46) in 1986.

Tags : Rory McIlroy, Golf, Augusta National, Justin Rose, Tiger Woods