Rory McIlroy is a Masters champion. Again.
In a tense will-he-or-won’t-he final round at Augusta National, McIlroy battled through nerves to card a 71 and finish 12-under par, winning his second green jacket in as many years. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made a valiant comeback attempt but fell just short, finishing one shot off the Irishman after an impressive final-round 68.
So, what was different this time around as McIlroy soaked it all in? Before the Irishman went on his usual champions walk, visibly letting out heavy sighs of relief, he did something he didn’t have the opportunity to do last time at Augusta: celebrate with his parents, Rosie and Gerry.
“How sweet is it that Rosie and Gerry get to see it in person this year, they weren’t here last year,” CBS ‘ Jim Nantz said on the broadcast. “Their only child. A child prodigy. They worked around the clock, multiple jobs, to give him the chance to be the man that you saw today, to be on top of the world in golf.”
Watch that emotional moment from the newly crowned two-time Masters champ below:
Hugs all around for the family.
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) April 12, 2026
Rory McIlroy is a two-time Masters Champion. pic.twitter.com/ZOkBW05YKV
With Sunday’s win, McIlroy became the fourth back-to-back Masters champion and the most recent since Tiger Woods achieved the feat in 2001-‘02.
“And also I want to thank—not thanks, geez—my mom and dad,” McIlroy said during his green jacket ceremony. “They weren’t here last year to celebrate with us, and surprisingly I had to convince them to come this year because they thought that the reason that I won was because they weren’t here. I’m glad that we proved that wrong.”
“Mom and dad, I owe everything to yoy,” continued McIlroy, getting visibly emotional. “You’re the most amazing parents, and if I could be half the parent to Poppy as you were to me, then I know I’ve done a good job. Thank you.”
McIlroy, 36, is the only child of Rosie and Gerry McIlroy. His parents, who have been living in Florida for a few years now, have commonly been seen among the patrons at Augusta cheering on their pride and joy for the last decade and a half. However, they weren’t able to make it for his 2025 title win because they had just bought a new house in Ireland and were busy moving into it during Masters week.
“Which they said was a good thing,” McIlroy said in an interview last year. “They were glad they had something to do to take their mind off of what was happening at the Masters.”
Another year, another Masters championship for McIlroy. The only difference is, this time he doesn’t have to fly to Belfast to celebrate his victory with his parents. They had to watch his nail-biting back nine in the final round on Sunday, too, but at least they got to be the first to congratulate their son on a truly special achievement. Congrats to the McIlroys!
More Masters coverage from Sports Illustrated
- CBS’s Masters Broadcast Blew It at the End of Rory McIlroy’s Dramatic Victory at Augusta National
- How Amen Corner Changed The Masters (And Does Every Year)
- A Tradition Unlike Any Other at TBonz
- SI:AM | Rory McIlroy Refused to Unravel
- Sergio Garcia Had the Most Disgusting Moment at the Masters, and What He Said After It Made It Worse
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rory McIlroy’s Masters Win Was More Special This Year for One Emotional Reason.
