That inner strength of mind, a total belief in himself, is something that money can’t buy; and the 27-year-old Northern Irishman’s Tour Championship victory and annexation of the FedEx Cup title with a combined $11.5 million bonus payday is testament to McIlroy’s conviction. Two years ago, he again was the No. 1 seed and was tied for the 54-hole lead until Billy Horschel beat him at East Lake. 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.
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A birdie on the ninth stopped the rot but he managed just one more birdie on his final hole to post a 71, sitting one over for the week and a distant nine shots off the pace.
“I’ve got a lot of control with my ball”, he said.
Nothing was sweeter than No. 16. “I gave myself plenty of chances on the front nine and hit plenty of good putts that were just burning the edges”. Johnson would have claimed the season-long points title had either Moore or Chappell won. McIlroy was at 11 under.
Ryder Cup hopeful Ryan Moore is alongside McIlroy at 6-under but is unlikely to challenge Johnson on Sunday, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama rounds out the top five at 5-under.
It didnt feel right because I didnt win the Tour Championship, Johnson said.
But he fell a stroke behind Chappell with a double-bogey at the 17th before regaining a share of the lead with a birdie at the par-five finishing hole.
On the 17th hole, McIlroy finally emerged victorious. It was there that Moore took the upper hand, but McIlroy stood strong on defense with a 7-foot putt to force a fourth head-to-head hole. McIlroy stiffened his back, clutched both arms and shouted above the raucous cheers at East Lake.
McIlroy, who began the week sixth in the FedExCup standings, saw his eagle try at the first extra hole lip-out, joining Moore in making birdie as Chappell was eliminated with a par.
“It wasn’t too much pressure”, Chappell said. “I took advantage of that opportunity”.
“Three-under’s a great score around here, I’m never going to be upset with that but I felt I played really well today”.
Davis Love III claimed the USA may have assembled the strongest Ryder Cup team ever. Or at least they will be if Johnson can clinch the win Sunday afternoon – and every other important trophy in the process.
Best of the rest: Moore capped an impressive postseason run with a 64 in the final round that left him just short of the tournament title but might have been enough to snag the final Ryder Cup spot.
“It didn’t feel right because I didn’t win the Tour Championship”, Johnson said. Thats why I was here to win. “We are on Central Time – I know that”, he laughed.
As impressive as Johnson and Chappell have been throughout the weekend, there is a lurking giant tied for third who is just two shots off the lead. Moore, however, holed a 10-footer for birdie. As for Patrick Reed (2nd) and Jason Day (4th), the week didn’t go so well.
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Scotland’s Russell Knox carded the low round of the day of 66 to join South Korea’s Kim Si-woo and the US’ Justin Thomas on 139, while defending champion Jordan Spieth was in a group on 140 that also included Australian Adam Scott. But I’m proud of the way I fought.
