The Ulsterman, playing as his usual brilliant tee-to-green self (third in strokes gained from tee to green for the week), fired furious rounds of 66 and 65 to close out the Deutsche Bank Championship.
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McIlroy went from a miserable start to a memorable finish, closing with a 6-under 65 on Monday to make up a six-shot deficit and win the Deutsche Bank Championship for his 20th career title around the world.
The Northern Irishman carded five birdies on the front nine, which was highlighted by up-and-down bunker birdies at the fourth and seventh holes and an 18-foot birdie putt at the eighth.
Paul Casey, the overnight leader by three, struggled all day in the TPC Boston breezes, putting up four bogeys versus two birdies in his first 17 holes, but he still had a chance to catch McIlroy at the last.
McIlroy, who had not tasted victory on the PGA Tour since the Wells Fargo Championship in May previous year, pinpointed his remarkable recovery after a disgusting start to Friday’s opening round as key to his success at the TPC Boston.
“But things can turn around quickly in this game and they did for me this week”.
“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.
“It is fantastic to think how I started this tournament and what was going through my mind after three holes, and then all of a sudden (I’m) standing here with a trophy”.
“I’ve won Races to Dubai, Orders…”
McIlroy now has 12 victories on the PGA Tour, and he takes plenty of momentum to Crooked Stick.
On the flipside of McIlroy’s glee, Casey squandered a chance at his long-awaited second PGA Tour win.
Since that third hole McIlroy posted 22 birdies but then it was four birdies in succession from the fifth hole on Sunday and a tap-in eagle to end his third round that put McIlroy in frame for success. “I wasn’t searching”, McIlroy said. The 39-year-old Englishman counts the 2009 Shell Houston Open as his only Tour victory, and was unable to add to his win total thanks to a final-round 73 that left him 13 under and in solo second.
Jim Furyk’s hopes of a Ryder Cup wildcard look over when failed to qualify in the top 70 for Thursday’s BMW Championships, reports the Mirror. McIlroy also switched putters last week at Bethpage Black, though he was at the bottom of the pack in putting.
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PGA champion Jimmy Walker closed with 70 to finish solo third at 12. “I have seen some really good signs, excited going into last part of the season”.
