The strut of old was back. Rory McIlroy, in his first outing of the season on the PGA Tour, showcased the X-factor that is part of his DNA with a brilliant final round that enabled the Northern Irishman to march to victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach with Shane Lowry claiming the role of runner-up in the $20 million PGA Tour signature tournament.
McIlroy’s performance was exemplary, a final round 66 – with a magnificent back nine of just 31 strokes that included a run of birdie-par-birdie-par-eagle-birdie in a six hole stretch from the 10th – for a total of 21-under-par 267 gave him a two strokes winning margin over Lowry, with Lucas Glover and Justin Rose tied in third, a shot further back.
The eagle from 26 feet on the par 5 14th was pivotal, and typical McIlroy, as he assumed control of his own destiny and closed the deal in his first outing of the season on the PGA Tour and the 27th win of this career on the US circuit.
Sepp Straka, who had started the final round with a one-stroke lead over McIlroy and Lowry, claimed a closing round 72 for 272 for a tied-seventh finish. “I think he’s the most impressive player I’ve ever played with. He just strikes it unbelievably well, hits it far but also so straight for how far he hits it,” said Straka of Mcilroy’s power game.
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McIlroy had never enjoyed a good tournament outing at Pebble Beach until this win. Maybe the tournament’s elevation to one of the $20m signature events provided the catalyst? Whatever? There was certainly a different vibe to his play, exemplified in a final round which caught fire on the homeward run of the final round as he moved into the lead and marched to victory with an aura that would suggest a focus on the season ahead.
“To win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really, really cool,” said McIlroy of his latest win, adding to a CV that saw him win in California for the first time. McIlroy finished fourth in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on his first outing of the year on the DP World Tour and, in his second appearance of the year, with plans to reduce his playing schedule from 27 last year to closer to 22 this time, made an instant winning impact on the PGA Tour to pocket the $3.45m winner’s cheque and move to number three on FedEx Cup standings.
McIlroy opened with a bogey-free 66 at Spyglass Hills Golf Course, which included an ace, and grinded out a two-under 70 on Friday despite four bogeys on the back nine when the wind was whipping and the temperature plummeted. But on a cold, rainy Saturday, McIlroy did what he had to do and shot a bogey-free 65 to climb in to a tie for second headed into the final round.
“One of the things I really want to do this year is try to limit my mistakes and play bogey free,” he said on Saturday. “Three of my last four rounds have been that way, last round in Dubai, first round here and now this round. Just really try to limit the mistakes and play smart golf and be a little more like Scottie Scheffler basically.”
Come Sunday, McIlroy played his way into the lead with an 18-footer for birdie on the 10th and never relinquished the lead as he closed the deal for a 27th PGA Tour career win.
Lowry, who had missed the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on his PGA Tour seasonal debut, emerged as McIlroy’s main challenger and claimed solo runner-up with a birdie on the 18th as the Offalyman signed off with a closing 68 for 269, a shot clear of Lucas Glover and Justin Rose.
