Rory McIlroy won his second consecutive Masters title at Augusta National on Sunday, beating world number one Scottie Scheffler by one stroke to claim his sixth major championship. The Northern Irishman joins Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods as the only players to successfully defend the Masters green jacket, and surpasses Seve Ballesteros to become the European golfer with the most major titles in the modern era. The victory cements McIlroy's role as the sport's leading figure at a moment when Woods, 50, has not competed in two seasons and is reportedly unable to take on the captaincy of the US Ryder Cup team, leaving golf in need of a charismatic standard-bearer capable of drawing in mainstream audiences.