Hot McIlroy the $10 million man
PLAY-OFF: 14-FOOT BIRDIE PUTT SEALS MASSIVE PAYDAY Johnson’s hopes evaporate as Moore, Chappell crash out.
Rory McIlroy rolled in a 14-foot birdie putt at the fourth hole of a sudden-death play-off to edge Ryan Moore for the USPGA Tour Championship and claim the $10 million FedExCup play-off bonus.
With the play-off prize and the $1.53m winner’s cheque, fourtime Major champion McIlroy earned a total payday of $11.53 million at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.
“It was incredible,” said McIlroy, who with his victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship has won $13.81m in the play-offs. “All I wanted to do at the start was concentrate on winning the Tour Championship. Somehow I was able to tie it up in regulation and get into the play-off.”
World No 2 Dustin Johnson finished tied for sixth but after coming into the season finale atop the FedExCup standings would have still claimed the play-off bonus if either Moore or Kevin Chappell had won the tournament.
Chappell was eliminated at the first hole of the play-off – the parfive 18th where McIlroy missed a six-foot eagle attempt that would have won it all.
Moore drained a nine-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole and he and McIlroy returned to play 18 again, both emerging with pars, as they did at the third playoff hole, the par-three 15th.
The fourth play-off hole took them to the par-four 16th, where McIlroy belted a 328-yard drive. Moore had made his par-saving putt when McIlroy stepped up and drained his 14-foot birdie attempt.
McIlroy’s triumph came at the same 16th hole where he surged into the play-off mix by holing out from 140 yards out in the fairway for eagle. – AFP