Having arrived at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Membership six pictures behind high seed Scottie Scheffler, the Northern Irishman trailed by the identical margin heading into the deciding day. But as World No. 1 Scheffler suffered a joint-round worst three-over 73, McIlroy carded a 66 to edge the American and South Korean Im Sung-jae by a single stroke at 21-under.
It marked the most important final-round comeback in Tour Championship historical past, besting Colombian Camilo Villegas’ five-shot restoration in 2008. Solely Justin Thomas and Sam Burns overturned bigger deficits on the Tour all season, profitable from seven pictures again on the PGA Championship and the Charles Schwab Problem respectively.
“It is actually cool to do one thing in golf that nobody has ever achieved earlier than,” McIlroy advised reporters.
“Clearly, the historical past of the FedEx Cup is not so long as the historical past of another tournaments, however to be strolling out of right here 3 times a champion, it’s extremely, very satisfying and one thing that I am extremely happy with.”
McIlroy was rewarded with $18 million in prize cash for his twenty second PGA Tour victory, making certain a triumphant finish to a stellar season tinged with main disappointment.
With wins on the CJ Cup and the Canadian Open, the 33-year-old persistently impressed with 10 top-10 outcomes throughout 16 occasions. Nowhere was this way extra evident than on the majors, the place McIlroy completed no worse than eighth throughout the 4 occasions.
With McIlroy evaluating the marketing campaign to 2019, the place he additionally recorded three Tour wins, caddy Harry Diamond believed it was a becoming finish to the season.
“On the 18th inexperienced at this time, [Harry] goes, ‘All the nice golf you performed this yr, you deserve this,'” McIlroy stated.
“I’ve stated all alongside this yr, this season felt very, similar to 2019. I performed nice golf. I had some good wins however did not decide off a serious.”
Participant of the 12 months?
Opening with a 65 and two 66’s, the American’s triumph had appeared set to be a procession earlier than three bogeys via the primary six holes Sunday opened the door for McIlroy, who — regardless of opening with a bogey — responded with a trio of birdies via the identical run.
An excellent birdie putt from McIlroy on the fifteenth adopted by a bogey from Scheffler on the subsequent gap proved decisive, because the Northern Irishman tapped residence on the final to win with par. After a short celebratory fist pump, McIlroy went straight over to embrace Scheffler.
“Scottie Scheffler goes to win the Participant of the 12 months, there is not any doubt about that. It could have been becoming for him to finish his breakout season with a FedEx Cup title,” McIlroy stated.
“He deserves this possibly greater than I deserve it, he performed an unbelievable season. He did not have his greatest stuff at this time, and I performed properly and took benefit of that.
“It is onerous. You do not actually know what to say on the 18th inexperienced as a result of he is had such an amazing yr, however he’ll be again and he is an amazing participant, and I advised him this actually is not the final time that we’ll have these battles on the golf course.”
Regardless of his disappointment, Scheffler was equally gracious in defeat.
“I actually fought onerous at this time. Rory simply performed a very good spherical of golf. He made some key putts there on the finish, and he undoubtedly deserved to win,” he stated.
“I’ve had a very nice yr and I needed to complete it off with a win right here, and sadly, I wasn’t in a position to try this. However on the finish of the day, it is such a present to be out right here taking part in golf for cash, and I am simply so grateful to be out right here.”
