The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
McIlory earns $15M with FedEx Cup win
Rory McIlroy captured the biggest cash payout in golf history Aug. 25 when he surged past Brooks Koepka in the final round at East Lake to win the FedEx Cup and its $15 million prize.
The crowd rushing to circle the 18th green. The steady chants. It all sounded so familiar to Rory McIlroy at East Lake, with one big difference.
On Aug. 25, it was all for him.
One year after he was an overlooked bystander as Tiger Woods celebrated the missing piece of his comeback by winning the Tour Championship, McIlroy surged past Brooks Koepka and delivered a clutch par putt when he needed it to win the FedEx Cup and the $15 million prize, the biggest payout in golf history.
“It’s amazing how different things can be in a year,” McIlroy said.
With two final birdies, McIlroy closed with a 4-under 66 to end a marathon day at the stormdelayed Tour Championship and finished four shots ahead of Xander Schauffele. He joined Woods as the only players to win the FedEx Cup twice since it began in 2007.
He smiled at hearing the chants, “Rory! Rory! Rory!” from a gallery that came under the ropes on the 18th hole to watch the finish.
“I must say, I didn’t enjoy that walk last year like everyone else did,” McIlroy said. “I never took the fight to Tiger.”
McIlroy had more than the $15 million prize on his mind.
He wanted to win this outright and was keeping score to the very end. The format was changed this year to give top players a head start based on par depending on their standing in the FedEx Cup. Justin Thomas was the No. 1 seed and started at 10-under par before a shot was hit. McIlroy was the No. 5 seed and started at 5 under.
He finished at 18 under in the FedEx Cup finale. His actual score was 13-under 267, better than anyone else in the 30-man field.
It will boost him to No. 2 in the world behind Koepka.
Baseball
LOUISIANA WINS LLWS >> Louisiana claimed its first Little League World Series title as Marshall Louque hit a pair of doubles and drove in three runs, while pitcher Egan Prather threw a two-hit shutout Sunday to lead a team from River Ridge past Curacao 8-0.
Egan shut down a powerful Curacao lineup, throwing 88 pitches over six innings. His performance in the championship caps off a solid tournament on the mound in which he picked up two victories and struck out 19 batters in 14 1/3 innings.
The offensive breakthrough came in the fifth inning for Louisiana as the club representing the Southwest region scored four runs on four hits to seize control. Reece Roussel smacked an RBI double that was followed by Marshall’s RBI single, his third hit of the day.
YANKEES’ GREGORIUS HURT >> Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius left New York’s game at Dodger Stadium after being hit by a pitch from Los Angeles starter Clayton Kershaw.
Gregorius sustained a right shoulder contusion after being drilled in the first inning.
He left in the third and was replaced by pinch-hitter Mike Ford, who stayed in the game at first base.
Gregorius was set to have X-rays taken at the stadium.
He hit a grand slam in New York’s 10-2 victory over the Dodgers on Aug. 23.