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AUGUSTA, Ga. – Driver for show, and putter for $4.5 million of dough. That was the winner's purse at the Masters, and Rory McIlroy is taking home the top prize, with the green jacket back on his shoulders.
Why did he win? Because, he was very good on and around the greens at Augusta National.
McIlroy bombed his driver throughout the week, but he hit the fairway off the tee just 55% of the time. To wit, he missed the fairway to the right on his final hole. As he did throughout most of the week, McIlroy avoided disaster. He needed a bogey on No. 18 to win at 12-under, and so bogey was what he carded.
Why does he still rule the Masters? It's obvious. His putting was dialed in, particularly during his sizzling Round 2, when he needed just 24 putts. He had only two three-putts throughout the 72 holes.
Toppmeyer: Rory McIlroy is Masters king and major royalty, a choke artist no more
Lessons from Augusta: Rory McIlroy reveals what Masters has taught him
That included a three-putt on No. 4 of his final round for his lone Sunday double-bogey.
McIlroy got his round back on track with a 7-footer for birdie on No. 7, then made another 7-footer for more red ink on the par-3 No. 12, kicking off back-to-back birdies in a tour through Amen Corner that won the Masters for McIlroy.
Asked to grade his tournament in the various facets of his game, here's how McIlroy saw it:
McIlroy's grade: B-
What he said: "I didn't drive the ball great. I drove it better (in the final round)."
McIlroy's grade: B
What he said: "My irons were really good, Thursday, Friday, and (Sunday) I felt like I hit some better iron shots. (Saturday) was really poor."
McIlroy's grade: A+
What he said: "My scrambling and my short game and my putting, that's what won me the tournament this week."
Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rory McIlroy grades 2026 Masters performance: See what got an A+
Continue reading...
Why did he win? Because, he was very good on and around the greens at Augusta National.
McIlroy bombed his driver throughout the week, but he hit the fairway off the tee just 55% of the time. To wit, he missed the fairway to the right on his final hole. As he did throughout most of the week, McIlroy avoided disaster. He needed a bogey on No. 18 to win at 12-under, and so bogey was what he carded.
Why does he still rule the Masters? It's obvious. His putting was dialed in, particularly during his sizzling Round 2, when he needed just 24 putts. He had only two three-putts throughout the 72 holes.
Toppmeyer: Rory McIlroy is Masters king and major royalty, a choke artist no more
Lessons from Augusta: Rory McIlroy reveals what Masters has taught him
That included a three-putt on No. 4 of his final round for his lone Sunday double-bogey.
McIlroy got his round back on track with a 7-footer for birdie on No. 7, then made another 7-footer for more red ink on the par-3 No. 12, kicking off back-to-back birdies in a tour through Amen Corner that won the Masters for McIlroy.
Asked to grade his tournament in the various facets of his game, here's how McIlroy saw it:
Rory McIlroy's driving at Masters
McIlroy's grade: B-
What he said: "I didn't drive the ball great. I drove it better (in the final round)."
McIlroy's irons at Masters
McIlroy's grade: B
What he said: "My irons were really good, Thursday, Friday, and (Sunday) I felt like I hit some better iron shots. (Saturday) was really poor."
McIlroy's short game and putting at Masters
McIlroy's grade: A+
What he said: "My scrambling and my short game and my putting, that's what won me the tournament this week."
Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rory McIlroy grades 2026 Masters performance: See what got an A+
Continue reading...
