After shooting a final round 65 to overturn a six shot deficit and win the Deutsche Bank Championship yesterday, McIlroy maintained that his workout regime is key to the success he has achieved as a golfer.
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But when the TPC Boston was at its most unsafe in 40 miles per hour gusts as Hermine headed out to the Atlantic, he made seven birdies and closed with a 6-under 65 to make up a six-shot deficit and win the Deutsche Bank Championship.
On Friday, three holes into the Deutsche Bank Championship, Rory McIlroy had to make a 15-foot putt just to escape with triple bogey.
Casey needed an eagle at No. 18 to tie McIlroy after his par at No. 17, but missed a 58-foot putt that would have forced a playoff and parred the hole.
‘When you think where I was after three holes, I’m really proud to pull off this win, ‘ said McIlroy.
He was four over par three holes into the tournament before playing the next 69 in 19 under. “They all putt differently, they all have their different mannerisms, so I knew Phil wasn’t going to have me get into a certain position I didn’t want to be in or felt uncomfortable with”.
Ahead of the tournament, the Northern Irishman changed his putter and brought in a new putting coach after struggling on the greens this year.
“It’s unbelievable in this game how things can change so quickly from being 4 over after three holes”.
In July, he described his putting as “pathetic” after missing the cut at the UPGA Championship at Baltusrol, but in Boston he emerged top in putting average and birdies made.
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. His last victory at the Deutsche Bank in 2012 was followed by another win at the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick, Indiana – the same venue for this year’s tournament.
Reed retains the FedEx Cup lead after this week, but McIlroy jumps from 38th to fourth, ensuring a trip to the Tour Championship in a year that had given him so much trouble. “His strong putting continued today, as he splashed home three putts from outside nine feet including an 18-footer for birdie at the par-3 eighth and a 22’5” birdie bomb at the par-4 14th.
Casey threw away two shots early in the round with a poor chip on the par-5 second hole and a three-putt bogey on the fifth.
The 27-year-old earned his 12th career PGA Tour win, the third-youngest player to accomplish the feat in Tour history.
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“I’d come off the back of a rough couple of weeks”.
