But when the TPC Boston was at its most risky 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.
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A distant six strokes behind overnight leader Paul Casey heading into the final round at the TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts, McIlroy fired a sparkling six-under-par 65 in blustery conditions on Monday to post a 15-under total of 269. In the 30 years of the world ranking, Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Nick Faldo are the only players who have spent more time at No. 1 than McIlroy.
While McIlroy enjoyed a dream final round, it was more of a nightmare for Casey.
He ended his round in style, hitting an exquisite bunker shot to within two feet at the par-five 18th for a tap-in four, his seventh birdie of the day, as he clinched his 12th United States tour victory.
It is the first PGA Tour title he has claimed in 16 months.
McIlroy won for the 20th time in his career worldwide.
“A lot of things went through my mind but 69 holes later, 19-under-par after those first three holes, I have played some great golf and held some great putts”, McIlroy said. But he addressed this last month, changed his putter and went to renowned coach Phil Kenyon, who helped guide Henrik Stenson to The Open title. “One of them was not winning”, McIlroy said.
Ranked 38th in the Fed-Ex Cup after the Barclays last week he jumped to fourth in the standings with the win, pushing Adam Scott down one position to fifth.
“Things can turn around pretty quickly in this game”, the new World Number Three said after his win. We need the superstars to keep performing, and it was also fantastic news ahead of the Ryder Cup – from a European perspective of course! It’s been a great lesson for me this week not to get down on myself, to stay patient.
Scott and Day are both well in the mix to become the first Australians to win the season long race, Scott a former victor of the Tour Championship the year before the FedEx Cup began in 2007.
PGA Championship victor Jimmy Walker was a further shot back from Casey in third whilst Australian Adam Scott came fourth on 11-under-par for the tournament. The Baylor product went birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie over his final five holes to cap a solid round, one that was ultimately good enough to lock up his spot at East Lake.
“I have got great memories of going to Crooked Stick – hopefully I can go and emulate what I did there”, said the 27-year-old of the IN course that stages the BMW Championship from Thursday.
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“It’s amusing, four years on, and I win here and going back to Indy where I have great memories from four years ago”.
