McIlroy ended a 16-month winless run on the PGA Tour by claiming a two-shot win at TPC Boston, overturning a six-shot deficit during the final round.
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“It’s nice to get that first win in the States this year and hopefully I can take this momentum into the next couple of weeks and ultimately the Ryder Cup”, he said.
With two tournaments left, McIlroy feels he’s got his putting right.
His only bogey of the day came on the par-four 17th but he responded perfectly on the last, picking up his seventh birdie of the day with a short putt, after playing a magnificent shot from the green-side bunker. Actually, the Northern Irishman could have gone even lower than 65 on Monday, as he missed 7-foot birdie putts at Nos.
“I don’t know if I quit, but I definitely let my shoulders slump and let my head drop”, McIlroy said.
“I found it incredibly hard”.
While McIlroy enjoyed a dream final round, it was more of a nightmare for Casey.
“It is one of the last things I would like on my golf CV – to win the FedEx Cup”, said the four-time Major victor.
“So 69 holes later I played some great golf and holed some great putts”.
“I am really proud of myself for battling that first day, getting some momentum on Saturday and just going with that”. Adam Scott jumped from T-23 to solo fourth at 11 under thanks to a closing 65, while last week’s victor of The Barclays, Patrick Reed, came in a tie for fifth at 10 under after a final-round 69. “Things can turn around really quickly in this game and they did this week”.
“It is fantastic to think how I started this tournament, and then all of a sudden I’m standing here with a trophy”.
He also changed away from the Nike putter to a Scotty Cameron mallet last week, and while he was toward the bottom of the pack at The Barclays, he was among the top putters at the TPC Boston.
“A criticism of my golf game, I take it, and I know what I need to work on and sometimes those people point out the obvious but, I would say that’s the most unfair criticism I receive, is what I do at the gym”.
Casey, who started the final round with a three-shot lead in his bid for his first PGA Tour victory since 2009, closed with a 73.
On the 14th hole, Casey was preparing to address a almost 42-foot birdie putt when the whipping wind forced to him stop and let out a “Wow” at the gusty conditions.
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A large group of players tied for eighth at nine-under, rounding out the top 10: Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen, Ryan Moore, Kevin Chappell, Jason Kokrak, Billy Hurley III and David Hearn.
