Magnificent Mcilroy pockets £12.2m – biggest prize in golf history
Northern Irishman holds off Koepka for Tour title Fitzpatrick denied win in Sweden by Van Rooyen
Nobody can ever deny that it should take a magnificent display to collect $15 million (£12.2 million) and so Rory Mcilroy produced one last night by winning the Tour Championship and with it the biggest first prize ever in golf.
And whatever is said about Mcilroy’s fifth majorless season in succession, there can be no doubt that 2019 will be a campaign that lives long in his, and his bank manager’s, memory.
The 30-year-old was not simply content with winning in Atlanta on the new controversial handicapped system – or with outduelling playing partner Brooks Koepka in the final round. That tussle with the world No1 meant a lot to Mcilroy, after being beaten so thoroughly by Koepka in the WGC St Jude Classic three weeks ago. “Brooks got one over one on me at Memphis and I wanted to get a bit of revenge today,” he said. “To play like that alongside Brooks and get the win, win the Fedex Cup it’s awesome.”
But there was more. Much, much more. The Northern Irishman made it his mission to lift the East Lake title by taking the fewest strokes of the 30-man field, not merely by prevailing on the unprecedented format the PGA Tour brought in for its season finale. And with a 10-footer for a birdie on the 18th, Mcilroy believed that he ensured that nobody could deny who was the player of the week by shooting a 66 for an 18-under total.
“My goal was to shoot the lowest score of the week and that is why that putt on the last meant so much to me,” he said. “It was such a cool way to end. I’ve given myself so many chances this year and to win three times is awesome. I’m very proud of myself and will enjoy myself tonight.”
Mcilroy played alongside Tiger Woods in the final round last year as the 15-time major winner was victorious and admitted: “I didn’t enjoy that walk last year like everyone else did, I played terribly. I got myself in the final group and never took the fight to Tiger.”
Much will be said about the radical overhaul of the climax to the PGA Tour, with the Fedex Cup standings dictating who began on what score in the first round of this event.
Justin Thomas was on 10 under with Koepka on seven-under and Mcilroy two further back. In the end, Xander Schauffele came nearest in the handicap and in shots, but was four and three respectively behind the new world No2. Mcilroy joins Tiger Woods as the only other player to win multiple Fedex Cups and reiterated his belief that the success was not about the money. “All that matters to me is this silverware,” he said.
PGA Tour officials have had to explain why tee times were not adjusted for forecasted storms after lightning resulted in five fans being taken to hospital during the third round, saying “pop-up” thunderstorms had been predicted.
At the Scandinavian Invitation on the European Tour, South African Erik Van Rooyen carded a closing 64 in Gothenburg to finish on 19 under to deny Matt Fitzpatrick, who also shot a 64, by a shot.