Rory McIlroy became only the fourth man to win back-to-back Masters after watching a number of challengers rise and fall before taking control on the back nine to win by a shot.

The Northern Irishman joined Jack Nicklaus (1965 and 1996), Sir Nick Faldo (1989 and 1990), and Tiger Woods (2001 and 2002) in an elite club of players to successfully defend their title at Augusta National.

A year ago, he needed a play-off to complete the career grand slam after bogeying the last, beating Justin Rose at the first extra hole.

But having ridden through a scratchy opening six holes where he fell two behind, he rediscovered the control which had seen him open up a six-shot 36-hole advantage.

Tyrrell Hatton, who shot a 66 to get to 10 under, and two-time champion Scottie Scheffler, who, after 12 successive pars, birdied 15 and 16 to appear over McIlroy’s shoulder, left it too late in getting to 11 under with a 68 to exert any significant pressure.

Rose, with whom the tussle had again been the tightest at the peak of the battle, stumbled around Amen Corner to let his slender lead slip and took too long to recover with a bogey, ending his challenge at 17 as he finished with a 70 to join the group on 10 under.

McIlroy, learning the lessons from last year, was in no mood to make any mistakes and parred his way through the next four holes to reach the last with a two-shot cushion.

But there was still time for some late drama as, in keeping with his driving this week, he took one final trip to the Georgia pines down the right and had to effect a slinging hook into the front bunkerHe splashed out to 15ft and two-putted to pick up a second green jacket with a final-round 71 for a 12-under total.

McIlroy was misty-eyed, but there were no tears and emotional release of a year ago, and he was able to enjoy the moment with his family at the back of the 18th green.

The foundations had been laid over the first two days, but the hard work was done over the weekend as rounds of 73-71 showed the pressure he was put under, but he was still able to come out smiling.

His resurgence started with back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth to put him within a shot of Rose, two groups ahead on 12 under.

But the pivotal period came around Amen Corner, which had cost him so dearly on Saturday and played a large part in his surrendering an overnight six-shot lead.

Last year, the 11th was where Rose began his back-nine birdie charge on his way to a 66, but this time the Englishman fell foul of the toughest hole on the course, missing the green to the right to drop back alongside McIlroy on 11 under.

Another missed green resulted in a second successive bogey to hand the outright lead back to McIlroy, who learned his lesson from the previous day by ensuring he avoided the pond on 11.

And then things turned in the space of a couple of minutes just before 5.30pm local time.

McIlroy’s brilliant approach to the short 12th finished seven feet from the pin for his fourth birdie of the afternoon.

Rose, meanwhile, had been looking at a potential eagle after hitting his second to 30ft at the par-five 13th, only to race his attempt eight feet past and then, to compound the error, missed the returning birdie putt.

That meant McIlroy was two clear with two par fives still to play, and he took advantage of the first, the 13th, which he double-bogeyed in his final round 12 months ago, to move three clear.

Rose birdied the 15th to reduce the gap to two, and he was joined by two-time champion Scottie Scheffler, who, after 12 successive pars, produced back-to-back birdies to move into contention, but neither had the final flourish.

McIlroy almost had his ‘Tiger’ moment at the 16th, having gone through the back fringe. Putting, where Woods chipped, the ball went at right angles down the slope to nestle next to the hole.

The danger was averted, and even a bogey at the last could not dampen the celebrations.

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