Nine takeaways from Rory McIlroy's winning Masters press conference

Rory McIlroy became the first back-to-back winner of the Masters since Tiger Woods after coming through yet another roller-coaster Sunday at Augusta National. 

The 36-year-old Northern Irishman built a historic six-shot lead at the halfway stage but stuttered on moving day and found himself tied for the lead with America's Cameron Young ahead of the final round. 

Young and last year's runner-up, Justin Rose, both shared the lead on Sunday but in the end McIlroy pulled clear with back-to-back birdies from the 12th and held his nerve down the stretch as Scottie Scheffler made a late charge.

McIlroy finished on a 72-hole total of 12-under par, one clear of the American world number one.

He spoke to reporters in the press building shortly after slipping on the green jacket for the second time in his career. 

Here are nine key takeaways from his news conference. 

It's just difficult to win at Augusta

McIlroy said he thought it was difficult to win last year because of the pressure of attempting to finally win the Masters and seal the grand slam.

"And then this year I realised it's just really difficult to win the Masters," he said.

"I tried to convince myself it was both."

He thought of Tom Watson before hitting his memorable tee shot at the 12th

McIlroy made birdie at the iconic and treacherous par-three 12th. 

It has claimed several victims over the years, most memorably Jordan Spieth in 2016. 

"I played a practice round with Tom Watson in 2009, and he said to me on the 12th tee he always waited until he felt where the wind should be and then just hit it," said McIlroy. "You know, just hit it as soon as you can.

"That's what I did on 12. It was all over the place. When I stood up on the tee, it felt like it was off the right, and I looked at the 11th flag, it was blowing right to left.

"But I was patient, and I waited to feel where the wind should have been coming from, and I knew it was just a perfect three-quarter nine-iron."

He got lucky on 15

Last April, McIlroy found the fairway at the 15th then slung a memorable 7-iron around the trees to find the green. 

It was a career-defining shot. 

On Sunday, McIlroy hit a poor tee shot and was forced to lay up. 

A poor wedge followed and he was more than fortunate that his ball didn't trickle into the water.

"Instead of the wind carrying the ball, it sort of knocked it down, and it didn't carry anywhere near as far as it needed to," said McIlroy. 

"Thankfully it hung up. It was pretty close to coming back into the water. Thanking my lucky stars with that one."

His parents almost decided not to come this year

McIlroy revealed his parents Rosie and Gerry almost decided not to come and watch as they did not want to jinx him. 

"I caught myself on the golf course a couple of times thinking about them, and I was like no, not yet, not yet," he said. 

"They missed it last year, and the first thing I wanted to do was fly home to see them because I obviously wouldn't be sitting up here if it wasn't for them. 

"I had to sort of convince them to come this year because they thought the reason I won last year was because they weren't here."

He didn't think it was over after 36 holes 

No player has ever had a bigger advantage than McIlroy at the halfway stage.

He led by six. 

Some suggested an unburdened McIlroy would canter to victory.

"I certainly didn't think I was home and dry after Friday night, and I knew I still needed work to do," he said. 

Why he hung back on 13

McIlroy looked as though he was deliberately walking slowly up the 13th fairway. 

Turns out, Cameron Young was talking to rules officials. 

"I don't know what had happened, but Cam was pulled in behind the hedges by a couple of referees to talk about something that may or may not have happened on the course," McIlroy said. 

"I don't know what it was about. I didn't ask him.

I thought, instead of me getting up there and waiting at my ball forever, I'd just hang back until Cam came back out. 

"I don't really like that second shot anyway, so I don't need to be up there looking at it for too long."

There wasn't much chatter with his caddie Harry Diamond

McIlroy said he didn't speak much to his caddie Harry Diamond throughout the final round. 

It was tense, he said, and he just wanted to step up and execute. 

After hitting a poor tee shot on 18, McIlroy said: "I think we were both just hoping that my ball wasn't in a really bad spot or behind a tree. I was just hoping that I had a swing. I think that was the moment of greatest stress." 

There won't be a post-Masters loss of motivation

McIlroy revealed after winning the 2025 Masters that he struggled for motivation after climbing his own personal Everest. 

"I've waited so long to win the Masters, and all of a sudden I win two in a row," he said. 

"So I still want to enjoy it. I've got a couple of weeks off before I go back to play competitive golf, but I don't think I'll go through that lull of motivation or the sort of things that I was feeling last year post winning this tournament." 

He is not putting a number of majors he wants to win

"There's obviously going to be that conversation, and that debate is going to be hard," McIlroy said.  

"But it's a cool conversation to be a part of.

"Again, it took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth one's come pretty soon after it. 

"I'm not putting a number on it, but I certainly don't want to stop here."