Sunday, August 28, 2022. 5:26 PM
ATLANTA – Rory McIlroy had the last laugh as he rallied from a six-stroke deficit to win the PGA TOUR Championship on Sunday.
McIlroy, the loudest voice on the PGA Tour during a tumultuous year, won the FedEx Cup for the third time in her career.
The Northern Irishman got his hands on a sum of $18 million, raising his earnings on the PGA Tour to $26 million this season. He finished the tournament with a round of 66 (minus-4) to show a cumulative score of minus-21.
Scottie Scheffler, the defending Masters champion and leader following three rounds, birdied just one and slipped to a tie for second by virtue of a 73 card.
Sungjae Im slipped in the standings following committing a double bogey on the 14th hole but still shot 66 to join Scheffler in the second tier.
McIlroy called the final round of the tournament a “show” and it wasn’t just because the pro-McIlroy crowd chanted his name on the closing holes.
“Two of the best players in the world competing for the biggest prize money on the circuit. I hope all the fans back home enjoyed it,” said the Northern Irishman.
McIlroy needed a lot of help from first-seeded Scheffler, who started the tournament with a two-shot lead. He didn’t pull back until the 70th hole.
Scheffler, who birdied four in six holes to complete the third round on Sunday morning, led by six strokes heading into the final round. He lost that lead on the first seven holes.
It was then a close duel until the very end during this followingnoon at East Lake.
McIlroy birdied from 30 feet on par-3 on the 15th hole, tying the lead. Then, following missing the green by regarding 20 yards, he scored a par at the 16th flag.
Scheffler, meanwhile, bogeyed following missing a 10-foot putt and pared the final two holes, like McIlroy.
On the par-5 18th hole, Scheffler sent his approach into the bunker and he hit his exit over the green. For his part, the ball from McIlroy gave once morest the stands, but he took advantage of relief to place himself on the green and to pass a par.
Scheffler and Im both pocketed $5.75 million.
“Money was definitely not on my mind. I wanted to win the title of the season, insisted Scheffler. I had a very good year and I wanted to end it with a victory. Unfortunately, I was unable to do so. »
McIlroy triumphed in overtime, in 2016. He won the FedEx Cup a second time, in 2019, the first year the gaps at the start of the tournament were introduced. His victory in 2022 may be his tastiest, as the PGA Tour is embroiled in a public battle once morest the Saudi-backed LIV Tour.
It’s McIlroy who has shown fierce loyalty to the PGA Tour over the past few years and joined Tiger Woods in leading a players-only meeting last week that led to some big changes coming.
“I believe in the sport of golf. I believe in this circuit, in particular. I believe in the players on this circuit, said McIlroy during the presentation of the trophy. It’s the best place in the world to play golf, without a doubt. And I’ve played all over the world. »
