Rory McIlroy admits he was caught out by rare Masters tradition immediately after win

Rory McIlroy gets to keep his green jacket for another year with the successful defence of his Masters title on Sunday.

However, that process was not quite as the Northern Irishman imagined it.

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McIlroy became just the fourth golfer in history to win back-to-back at Augusta, having waited his whole career for the grand-slam-clinching victory in 2025.

The one-shot victory over Scottie Scheffler puts him in an illustrious group that includes Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.

Augusta is all about tradition and the previous year’s champion is given the privilege of putting the green jacket on their predecessor.

When Nicklaus became the first man to defend in 1966, there was nobody to stand behind him and no set tradition – so he put the green jacket on himself.

McIlroy had been vocal about his ambitions to do the same as he returned to Augusta as the reigning champion this year.

But that rule has since changed – with the Augusta chairman deputising in the absence of a previous champion.

Fred Ridley did the honours for McIlroy in a moment that had only happened twice previously – for Faldo and Woods.

“It still fits! Which is nice,” he said at the winner’s ceremony.

“My parting message last year was, I can’t wait to come back next year and put the green jacket on myself.

“I wasn’t quite correct, because the chairman did it, but I did want to come back here and prove last year wasn’t a fluke.”

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A defending champion’s privilege

Masters winners only get to keep the green jacket for one year and thereafter it cannot leave the Augusta property.

So while most would have been hanging it up in the champions’ locker room on Sunday evening, McIlroy gets to wear his whenever he likes for another year.

Contrary to popular belief, multiple Masters winners only get one green jacket.

Woods famously said his 1997 prize still fit him perfectly when he won in 2019.

Chasing legacy

With the career grand slam already under his belt, McIlroy is making up for lost time at the majors.

He has repeatedly announced his ambition to go down as the greatest European golfer in history – and this second Masters win puts him level with Faldo and Seve Ballesteros at Augusta.

Europeans with the most major titles

Harry Vardon (Jersey) – six Open Championships, one U.S. Open

Nick Faldo (England) – three Masters, three Open Championships

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) – two Masters, one U.S. Open, one Open Championship, two PGA Championships

Seve Ballesteros (Spain) – two Masters, three Open Championships

James Braid (Scotland) – five Open Championships

J.H. Taylor (England) – five Open Championships

The 36-year-old’s sixth major means Harry Vardon (seven) is the only European golfer in history with more.

“It took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth one’s come pretty soon after it,” he said.

“I’m not putting a number on it but I certainly don’t want to stop here.”