No one has to tell Rory McIlroy that.
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McIlroy was four over par through three holes before rallying for his first PGA Tour victory this year.
“It’s awesome in this game how things can change so quickly from being 4 over after three holes”.
The win puts McIlroy back in the top three in the world rankings and savouring the next FedEx playoff event, the BMW Championship which starts on Thursday at Crooked Stick.
Somehow, he would fight to even par by the end of the first round, despite that big blow.
McIlroy – a four-time major victor – scored five birdies, three of which were hit consecutively, on the front nine before adding another on the 12th.
McIlroy’s win at TPC Boston was his first PGA Tour title since the 2015 Wells Fargo Championship, although he also won this year’s Irish Open on the European Tour.
Another birdie at the 16th saw him take the outright lead before he managed to extend his advantage with an eagle at the last, narrowly missing out on an albatross after his second shot just rolled wide of the hole. It went 8 feet by and he missed the meaningless birdie putt.
McIlroy claimed his first PGA Tour event of the season in spectacular fashion, coming from six behind to overhaul 54-hole leader Paul Casey.
Jimmy Walker finished third at 12-under following a 70 that included five birdies, and Adam Scott matched McIlroy for low round of the day at 65 to finish fourth at 11-under. McIlroy made one tweak all on his own, moving his right hand more on top of the grip to make sure the face of the putter didn’t open. In terms of greens completed in a single putt, McIlroy went from 74th for the year to first.
He didn’t need to make everything in the final round, with his driving and short game setting up three early birdies.
He got into his stride with a birdie at the second and picked up further shots at the fourth, seventh, eighth and ninth to reach the turn in 31.
Hearn’s scrambling and putting have been excellent this week and that stands him in good stead if the wind throws up a few surprises.
“My putting feels really comfortable but then it is still work in progress though I have seen some really good signs this week and I am really encouraged going forward”, said McIlroy. Kevin Chappell and Ryan Moore fell back with bogeys on the back nine.
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McIlroy bogeyed his second hole Friday and stumbled to a triple-bogey on his third, but he turned things around and was 4 under through his last 15 holes to get back even and within five shots of the lead. “I have won Race to Dubais and I have won order of merits and been a money victor on the PGA Tour but never lifted the FedEx Cup itself”, McIlroy said.
