The Key Shots That Helped Mcilroy Win Second Masters

ByAndy Gray

BBC Sport NI Journalist

With a pat into nan hole, a look to nan entity and a merchandise of emotion, different section of golfing history was complete.

A twelvemonth connected from his first Augusta triumph, Rory McIlroy became only nan 4th man to take sides nan Masters title.

He joins esteemed institution successful Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods, who besides donned nan Green Jacket successful successive years.

But what were nan cardinal shots that helped nan Northern Irishman connected his measurement to consecutive victories astatine Augusta National?

McIlroy opened his Masters bid pinch an opening information of 67, and nan item was a tally of 3 birdies connected nan bounce connected nan backmost 9 that put him successful nan associated lead pinch American Sam Burns.

After picking up shots connected nan 13th and 14th holes, McIlroy took connected nan par-five 15th and while his 3rd changeable to 29 feet wasn't nan strongest set-up changeable of his round, what followed was perfection.

The shot coiled beautifully from near to correct and fell into nan hole, which prompted a muted raised fist from McIlroy.

He would extremity nan time joint-top of nan standings.

There is conscionable thing typical astir watching an jock astatine nan apical of their crippled astir 1 of nan sport's astir iconic venues.

That's precisely what happened connected nan backmost 9 of McIlroy's 2nd information connected Friday, pinch six birdies successful 7 holes successful a scintillating performance.

The item was undoubtedly his spot successful connected nan 17th, aft missing nan greenish disconnected to nan correct by immoderate distance.

However, pinch a delicate touch and nan emblem connected nan acold broadside of nan green, his adjacent 30-yard effort was perfection, taking a bounce connected nan putting aboveground earlier rolling consecutive into nan cup.

This clip nan ceremony wasn't arsenic muted arsenic he raised his limb aloft, nine still successful hand, arsenic nan crowd went into raptures.

Another birdie would travel connected nan last hole, and his 2nd information of 65 gave him a Masters grounds six-stroke lead aft 36 holes.

Just 24 hours aft his grounds round, McIlroy's advantage was eradicated arsenic he toiled connected Saturday to a one-over 73.

His hopes looked for illustration they were fading further connected Sunday pinch a double bogey and bogey successful nan first six holes, but McIlroy rallied and started to activity his measurement backmost up nan leaderboard.

The turning constituent came connected nan 12th astatine Amen Corner, erstwhile nan 36-year-old nailed his tee changeable connected nan 155-yard par 3 to conscionable nether 7 feet from nan hole.

No different subordinate sewage arsenic adjacent to nan pin each day, and he duly holed nan putt to return a two-stroke lead, arsenic Cameron Young missed his effort to support pace.

McIlroy would not look backmost from there, and different birdie followed astatine 13. Amen Corner was tamed, and McIlroy was connected nan location straight.

A precocious complaint from world number 1 Scottie Scheffler - a two-time awesome champion - put unit connected McIlroy astatine nan apical of nan leaderboard, moving wrong 2 shots.

McIlroy, pinch nan adrenaline pumping, hammered his tee changeable connected nan 170-yard par 3 16th beyond nan pin and disconnected nan backmost of nan green.

It was not rather arsenic acold disconnected target arsenic Tiger Woods was successful 2005 erstwhile he chipped successful connected his measurement to triumph but nan parallels were clear to see.

McIlroy opted to putt and deed a beautifully paced changeable onto nan greenish and allowed nan contours to guideline nan shot down towards nan flag.

He judged it to almost perfection, nan shot stopping a ft from nan hole. Moments later he tapped successful for a important par that maintained his two-shot lead pinch 2 holes to play.

After an 11-year hold betwixt his erstwhile 2 awesome titles, a 2nd successful nan abstraction of a twelvemonth was wrong his grasp.

It will arguably beryllium nan champion bogey of McIlroy's career.

With a two-shot lead connected nan 18th tee nan occupation was almost done but McIlroy had a chaotic swipe and his shot flew to nan correct and into trees.

Hearts were abruptly racing again.

After what seemed for illustration an eternity, arsenic he tried to usher thousands of spectators distant from his intended statement of onslaught to nan green, he thrashed his shot retired of nan conifer straw and into a greenside bunker.

It was a cardinal moment. Another mediocre plaything could easy person led to a double bogey and a play-off pinch Scheffler.

He backed that pinch a beardown changeable from nan soil to 12 feet and pinch 2 putts for nan title, took some of them.

The last stroke, from 7 inches, was nan magnitude that each players dream of to triumph a major.

There was a immense merchandise of emotion. McIlroy hugged his caddie Harry Diamond, looked to nan entity and fto retired a roar arsenic he raised him arms aloft - his sixth awesome title cementing his spot arsenic 1 of nan sport's greats.