Andrew Beaton

Like any time with Rory McIlroy, there were a lot of highs and lows.

He started the tournament with a bang, finishing the first 36 holes with the biggest two-day lead in Masters history.

But then, in the third round, that lead

He'd completely evaporated.

And then in the fourth round, it looked like he might just become an afterthought.

But he steeled himself, finished with a bogey, and then he could finally exhale.

And unlike last year when there was total jubilation, this year it almost looked like relief.

The rest of 2026 will be a question of who can do more, Rory McIlroy or Scotty Scheffler?

They're fan favorites, but the question for both of them will be, can either of them take home another major over the course of the rest of the season?

In this one, McElroy finished one stroke on top, but the margins were razor thin.