All that remains now is that elusive green jacket.
Playing the kind of golf that makes him untouchable when he's on song, Rory McIlroy closed with a six under 64 — it included a crucial hole-out eagle two from 137 yards at the 16th — to force a playoff for the Tour Championship, the won it at the fourth extra hole of a playoff with Ryan Moore to snatch the FedEx Cup from under the nose of US Open champion Dustin Johnson.
In terms of statements from a European heading into Ryder Cup week, it was a huge boost to Darren Clarke's squad and judging by the way McIlroy celebrated his $11.5m payday, a blow to Davis Love.
It also somewhat salved the wounds of a major-less season for a player who judges himself on the number of grand slam titles he wins every year.
Kevin Chappell also made the play off but having led the tournament for much of the final round, he bogeyed the 17th and failed to birdie the 18th in regulation,
A 66 earned him a playoff place on 12 under par with McIlroy and Moore (64), before he was eventually being eliminated on the same hole in sudden death..
Moore made a clutch birdie putt from nine feet but McIlroy, who hit a miraculous second from 211 yards to six feet to set up an eagle, turned away in horror as it lipped out.
Johnson watched the drama from the cool of clubhouse with his wife and child, knowing that a win for Moore would give him the FedEx Cup and a huge pile of cash. He didn't get his wish.
Moore and McIlroy went on and parred the 18th again before moving to the short 15th for the third extra hole.
Moore came up short in the rough, McIlroy went long but it was the Ulsterman who had to hole a seven footer to stay alive after leaving his long range putt short following Moore's perfect chip.
They moved on to the par-four 16th and having been outdriven by 50 yards, Moore left himself an awkward 40 footer from the fringe with McIlroy just 14 feet away.
He chose to chip but semi-bladed it 16 feet past — and holed for par.
McIlroy's putting has been his cross this year but having hooked up with Phil Kenyon after what he described as a "pathetic" performance in the US PGA, he's turning that aspect to his game around.
Watching his 14 footer for the Tour Championship (his third win of the year) and the FedEx Cup drop in for birdie was as sweet as any major. Well almost.
The Masters is next April.
from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2duyf1I
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