While McIlroy was brilliant, his surge to breaking his victory drought was made easier by the fall of the leading contenders.
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A 16-month PGA Tour winless drought had McIlroy, a four-time major victor, being treated as if he hadn’t won a tournament in 16 years.
After the sloppy start, McIlroy played his remaining 69 holes at the Deutsche Bank in 19 under.
Scott finished alone in fourth place at 11-under, while Patrick Reed, Fabian Gomez and James Hahn tied for fifth at 10-under.
“I’m excited with how my game is and what I’ve found this week, and hopefully I can keep it going for the next couple of tournaments, but ultimately into the Ryder Cup and trying to get a fourth one of those”. The dramatic improvement comes just a week after the now World No.3 changed to a Scotty Cameron putter and employed a new putting coach.
Having started the day six shots off the lead, the 27-year-old registered 7 birdies in an nearly flawless final round.
He limited the damage to a bogey and then pushed his second to the long 18th into the right greenside bunker, but another near-perfect splash-out left him a tap-in for a closing birdie which restored his two-shot lead on 15-under par. It’s happened to me many times before, but I think you learn with experience and a little bit more maturity that it’s four-round golf tournaments.
“I tweaked my putting grip on Saturday morning and holed some putts on Saturday and went with it and got some momentum”, he said.
“I thought it’s a great opportunity being 4 over through three holes to do something that I had never done before, to be in that position and go on and win a golf tournament”, he said.
“I’ve won Races to Dubai, Orders…”
McIlroy posted a 15-under 269 for the second of four playoff events and surged into contention for the FedEx Cup.
This time, McIlroy is aiming to bring the momentum all the way to the Tour Championship and to put the icing on the cake by claiming the playoff title.
There were some tiddlers butchered in Boston, too, and a brutal 12th hole which cost him a triple bogey on the opening day and a double on the third.
England’s Casey, 39, missed an eagle putt on the final hole at TPC Boston that would have forced a play-off.
McIlroy came from seven down at the BMW PGA Championship a few years ago to reset his 2014 season.
“It was absolutely an awesome round of golf in those conditions”, said Casey in tribute to McIlroy’s performance.
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“Massive”, he said. “That is what makes Rory’s round so good”. It was his first PGA Tour victory of the year and moved him to No. 4 in the FedEx Cup, all but assuring him a clear shot at the $10 million bonus when he gets to the Tour Championship at the end of the month.
