New Delhi, April 13 -- Rory McIlroy pocketed $4.5 million and cemented his place among golf's immortals on Sunday, becoming only the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Masters titles - a feat that eluded legends of the game for a quarter-century.

The green jacket never left the Irishman's wardrobe. McIlroy, 36, who ended a decade-long major drought at Augusta National Golf Club just twelve months ago, returned to the Georgia pines and did it all over again - this time finishing at 12-under par to claim the 90th Masters Tournament and its richest-ever purse.

The victory earned McIlroy $4.5 million from a record total purse of $22.5 million, a $1.5 million increase on last season's pot. Combined with earlier earnings on tour - i...