Moore propelled himself into the reckoning with a superb performance at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, where he lost out to Rory McIlroy at the fourth hole of a sudden-death play-off.
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“I took advantage of my opportunities today, and, yeah, here we are, ” McIlroy said, his voice hoarse from screaming over so many quality shots and big moments.
He will take home an $11.5 million payday, $10 million from the FedEx Cup and $1.5 million for the Tour Championship.
He finished with a flourish with birdie on the last for 64, although he could have won the tournament there and then when his eagle putt just lipped out. Chappell likewise had a 20-foot birdie try on the last hole to win, but left it short.
Just hours after suffering a disappointing loss, Moore got the news from U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III that he was being added as the 12th man to the squad. He still would have won the FedEx Cup had either Moore or Chappell won the tournament, which he said “would have been really cool”.
McIlroy had control of this all along.
Moore drained a nine-foot birdie putt at the first play-off hole and he and McIlroy returned to play 18 again, both emerging with pars, as they did at the third play-off hole, the par-three 15th. Moore, however, holed a 10-footer for birdie. McIlroy was ready to pump his fist until his eagle putt slid by, and he removed his cap in disbelief. McIlroy fittingly won on the 16th hole, where his remarkable rally began in regulation, when he holed out from 137 yards for an eagle, then birdied on the final hole for a 6-under-par 64 to join a three-man playoff with Ryan Moore (64) and Kevin Chappell (66).
Nothing was bigger than that birdie at the end.
His only hope was to win the Tour Championship and have Dustin Johnson finish worse than second alone.
In this February 24, 2015, file photo, Davis Love III smiles during a news conference introducin him as the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, at PGA of America in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Love had already chosen Rickie Fowler, JB Holmes and Matt Kuchar as his first three captain’s picks, and his decision to pick Moore with his fourth means that Watson is a surprising omission from this week’s contest. “To be here and to win the FedEx Cup.to play the way I have in the last few weeks to get it done, is very special”. His chip over a ridge raced well past the hole, and it looked as though McIlroy would only have to two-putt for the victory.
Love was to announce his pick later Sunday at halftime of the National Football League game. “All I wanted to do at the start of the day was concentrate on winning the Tour Championship”.
Johnson was second in the FedEx Cup and received a $3 million bonus. Chappell’s closing rounds in those runner-up finishes were 67, 69, 69, and 66.
“Played those two holes in 10”.
Chappell headed into a month off trying to figure out what he has to do to win. “Fortunately, I hole a wedge shot, and I get myself in position to have a chance to win”.
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“I’m proud of the way I fought”, he said.
