McIlroy overturns six-shot deficit at FedEx Cup to make Tour Championship record
Acquiring arrived at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club 6 shots at the rear of leading seed Scottie Scheffler, the Northern Irishman trailed by the very same margin heading into the deciding working day. Still as World No. 1 Scheffler suffered a joint-round worst three-in excess of 73, McIlroy carded a 66 to edge the American and South Korean Im Sung-jae by a single stroke at 21-underneath.
It marked the greatest closing-round comeback in Tour Championship historical past, besting Colombian Camilo Villegas’ 5-shot recovery in 2008. Only Justin Thomas and Sam Burns overturned much larger deficits on the Tour all time, successful from 7 photographs again at the PGA Championship and the Charles Schwab Challenge respectively.
“It can be actually awesome to do a little something in golf that no one has at any time finished in advance of,” McIlroy told reporters.
“Naturally, the historical past of the FedEx Cup is just not as prolonged as the background of some other tournaments, but to be strolling out of right here a few occasions a champion, it is really, very enjoyable and anything that I am unbelievably proud of.”
McIlroy was rewarded with $18 million in prize income for his 22nd PGA Tour victory, making sure a triumphant conclusion to a stellar time tinged with key disappointment.
With wins at the CJ Cup and the Canadian Open, the 33-yr-aged constantly impressed with 10 best-10 benefits throughout 16 activities. Nowhere was this form extra apparent than at the majors, the place McIlroy concluded no worse than eighth across the 4 events.
With McIlroy comparing the marketing campaign to 2019, exactly where he also recorded three Tour wins, caddy Harry Diamond believed it was a fitting close to the season.
“On the 18th environmentally friendly nowadays, [Harry] goes, ‘All the superior golf you played this calendar year, you deserve this,'” McIlroy said.
“I’ve explained all along this calendar year, this season felt extremely, really related to 2019. I played great golfing. I experienced some superior wins but did not choose off a major.”
Player of the 12 months?
Opening with a 65 and two 66’s, the American’s triumph had seemed set to be a procession in advance of 3 bogeys by means of the first six holes Sunday opened the doorway for McIlroy, who — even with opening with a bogey — responded with a trio of birdies by way of the exact operate.
A fantastic birdie putt from McIlroy at the 15th followed by a bogey from Scheffler at the subsequent gap proved decisive, as the Northern Irishman tapped home at the very last to earn with par. Soon after a quick celebratory fist pump, McIlroy went straight above to embrace Scheffler.
“Scottie Scheffler is likely to gain the Participant of the Year, there is certainly no question about that. It would have been fitting for him to stop his breakout season with a FedEx Cup title,” McIlroy stated.
“He warrants this it’s possible more than I ought to have it, he played an unbelievable season. He failed to have his finest things now, and I played very well and took benefit of that.
“It truly is tough. You do not seriously know what to say on the 18th environmentally friendly since he is experienced these types of a terrific yr, but he’ll be back again and he is a great participant, and I instructed him this unquestionably is not the final time that we are likely to have these battles on the golfing class.”
Even with his disappointment, Scheffler was in the same way gracious in defeat.
“I definitely fought hard now. Rory just played a definitely fantastic round of golfing. He built some essential putts there at the conclude, and he definitely deserved to gain,” he stated.
“I have experienced a truly fantastic yr and I desired to complete it off with a earn in this article, and however, I was not capable to do that. But at the close of the day, it’s this sort of a gift to be out listed here playing golf for money, and I’m just so thankful to be out here.”
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