It was nearly 11pm when Rory McIlroy finally emerged from Augusta National's Grill Room, still wearing his Masters Green Jacket.
Four hours after becoming only the fourth golfer in history to successfully defend the Masters title, McIlroy had navigated a whirlwind of presentations, interviews, and celebrations with Augusta members. Yet his smile remained as radiant as when he tapped in the final putt to secure victory at a course that once represented years of golfing frustration.
As he settled for his final round of media questions, McIlroy laughed freely while reflecting on the unique honor of having Augusta chairman Fred Ridley place the iconic jacket back on his shoulders.
"It's pretty rare," McIlroy told reporters. "We had to practice it before we went into Butler Cabin because he'd never done it before. I said at the end of my speech last year that I'd hopefully see everyone next year where I'm putting the Green Jacket back on myself. I wasn't quite correct there, but the next best thing is having the chairman put it on."
The Northern Irishman joined an exclusive club alongside Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods as the only players to win consecutive Masters tournaments. A particularly meaningful moment came when Faldo—who defended his title in 1989 and 1990—sought out McIlroy after Sunday's ceremony.
"He came to find me, which I thought was amazing," McIlroy shared. "He left me a lovely note. I won back-to-back in the 89th and 90th Masters, so there's a little tie-in there. To emulate one of his amazing achievements is very, very special."
With this victory, McIlroy now shares the record for most major championships by a European golfer in the modern era with Faldo at six titles. After taking two weeks off, he plans to return to competition ahead of next month's US PGA Championship at Aronimink.
Reflecting on last year's emotional Masters win—which completed his career Grand Slam after 11 attempts—McIlroy acknowledged experiencing a "discernible hangover" in subsequent majors. But now, with the pressure of that milestone behind him, the 36-year-old believes he's positioned to add more major trophies to his collection.
"I think last year was the culmination of trying to win the Grand Slam and win the Masters for the first time—win my first major in 10 years," McIlroy explained. "This is obviously amazing. It's my second Green Jacket. It's very cool, but I really don't think I'm going to have the lull or whatever it was I had last year. I was trying to figure out, 'OK, what's next?' Because I have been through that..."
McIlroy's confidence suggests that his historic Augusta repeat might be just the beginning of another dominant chapter in his storied career.