Roaring finish
Ulsterman blitzes back nine for three-shot win
McIlroy ends 18-month PGA win drought with Arnold Palmer title
MIAMI: Rory McIlroy ended an 18-month PGA win drought in sensational fashion on Sunday with birdies on five of the last six holes to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Four-time major champion McIlroy outduelled American Bryson DeChambeau and major winners Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson with an amazing putting display on the Bay Hill greens.
“It’s so nice to see everything come together finally,” McIlroy said. “I wasn’t that far away. It takes something to click into place. Something clicked into place with my putting obviously.”
McIlroy fired an eight-under-par 64 to finish 72 holes on 18-under 270 and defeat DeChambeau by three strokes.
“I’m just proud of myself to hang in there over the past few months with injury and everything,” McIlroy said. “To get my first PGA win in I don’t know how long, it feels really great.”
The 28-year-old from Northern Ireland took his 14th US PGA Tour triumph, his first since the 2016 Tour Championship, and served notice he is a solid threat to complete a career major Grand Slam by winning the Masters in three weeks.
McIlroy had not won since the day Palmer died in 2016 but snapped his skid on the course where Palmer used to greet winners as they exited the 18th green.
“It’s a little bit ironic that I come here and win,” McIlroy said. “He set a great example to all of us players. If all of us could handle ourselves the way Arnie did the world would be a better place.”
DeChambeau fired a closing 68 to take second on 273, one stroke ahead of England’s Rose, who fired a 67, and two in front of Sweden’s Stenson with Woods and US compatriot Ryan Moore fifth on 278.
McIlroy sank a 15-foot chip-in birdie at 13 and followed with a 21-foot birdie putt at the par-three 14th to seize a two-stroke lead at 15 under.
Stenson and DeChambeau each birdied 13 to pull within one shot, but McIlroy answered with a 40-foot birdie chip from off the 15th green for his third birdie in a row and two-putted from 21 feet for birdie at the par-five 16th to seize a three-stroke advantage.
“To be able to chip in, that was a bonus and gave me a little leeway going into the last few holes,” McIlroy said.
DeChambeau sank a 15-foot eagle putt to pull one stroke behind McIlroy only to have the European star sink a 25-footer for birdie, raising his arms in victory.
Woods, making his second comeback bid after four back operations, has shown form in back-to-back weeks to excite fans for his chances at the Masters, which begins on April 5. “I felt pretty good out there,” Woods said. “I hit the ball a little better than I did last week. I felt like I putted well the entire week.”