McIlroy wins Tour Championship
It was sweet revenge for Rory McIlroy at the PGA Tour Championship on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy fired a four-under-par 66 to win the PGA Tour Championship and claim the US$15 million FedEx Cup jackpot on Sunday.
Northern Ireland star McIlroy won the two titles for the second time, following his win in 2016 after world number one Brooks Koepka suffered a final round collapse at Atlanta's East Lake golf course. McIlroy finished the tournament on 18-under, four shots clear of Xander Schauffele, who posted a closing 70 to finish on 14-under.
For McIlroy it was sweet redemption, following a disappointing showing in last year's Tour Championship, when he faded from contention with an error-strewn four-over-par 74 in the final round, as Tiger Woods clinched a memorable victory. “I didn't enjoy the walk up 18 last year. I played terribly, got myself into the final group, but I never took the fight to Tiger,” McIlroy said.
“Going up against the number 1 player in the world today (Koepka), he got one over on me in Memphis and I wanted to get some revenge today.”
McIlroy, playing alongside Koepka in the final pairing, had started the final round one shot behind his partner.
Koepka had taken the lead earlier Sunday, after the players returned to the course to complete the third round, which had been abandoned on Saturday after an electrical storm that injured six spectators. Koepka finished the third round with a closing birdie for a two-under-par 68, edging one shot clear of McIlroy and Schauffele at 15 under. But Koepka's third round momentum didn't extend to the final. After matching McIlroy with an early birdie on the sixth, the American's form deserted him with a double-bogey on the seventh, while McIlroy snared his second birdie. Although Koepka picked up a shot with a birdie on the eighth, a trio of bogeys on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes effectively ended his challenge.
McIlroy, who had birdied the 12th and 13th holes to move to four under for the day, gave the chasing pack hope after wobbling with bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes. However, McIlroy gathered himself brilliantly on the 17th, rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt before going on to reach the greenside bunker in two on the par-five 18th. He made no mistake with his birdie putt to finish with a flourish. Koepka, meanwhile, had to settle for a share of third place, his two-over-par 72 leaving him alongside Justin Thomas on 13-under.
England's Paul Casey was fifth on nine under after his final round 72, while Australia's Adam Scott took sixth place on eight-under, after his four-under-par 66.
NAMPA/AFP
Northern Ireland star McIlroy won the two titles for the second time, following his win in 2016 after world number one Brooks Koepka suffered a final round collapse at Atlanta's East Lake golf course. McIlroy finished the tournament on 18-under, four shots clear of Xander Schauffele, who posted a closing 70 to finish on 14-under.
For McIlroy it was sweet redemption, following a disappointing showing in last year's Tour Championship, when he faded from contention with an error-strewn four-over-par 74 in the final round, as Tiger Woods clinched a memorable victory. “I didn't enjoy the walk up 18 last year. I played terribly, got myself into the final group, but I never took the fight to Tiger,” McIlroy said.
“Going up against the number 1 player in the world today (Koepka), he got one over on me in Memphis and I wanted to get some revenge today.”
McIlroy, playing alongside Koepka in the final pairing, had started the final round one shot behind his partner.
Koepka had taken the lead earlier Sunday, after the players returned to the course to complete the third round, which had been abandoned on Saturday after an electrical storm that injured six spectators. Koepka finished the third round with a closing birdie for a two-under-par 68, edging one shot clear of McIlroy and Schauffele at 15 under. But Koepka's third round momentum didn't extend to the final. After matching McIlroy with an early birdie on the sixth, the American's form deserted him with a double-bogey on the seventh, while McIlroy snared his second birdie. Although Koepka picked up a shot with a birdie on the eighth, a trio of bogeys on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes effectively ended his challenge.
McIlroy, who had birdied the 12th and 13th holes to move to four under for the day, gave the chasing pack hope after wobbling with bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes. However, McIlroy gathered himself brilliantly on the 17th, rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt before going on to reach the greenside bunker in two on the par-five 18th. He made no mistake with his birdie putt to finish with a flourish. Koepka, meanwhile, had to settle for a share of third place, his two-over-par 72 leaving him alongside Justin Thomas on 13-under.
England's Paul Casey was fifth on nine under after his final round 72, while Australia's Adam Scott took sixth place on eight-under, after his four-under-par 66.
NAMPA/AFP
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