McIlroy finally gets it done in FedEx Cup

Rory McIlroy beat Americans Ryan Moore and Kevin Chappell in a sudden death playoff to win the Tour Championship and wrap up the FedEx Cup on a dramatic final day at East Lake.

Chaska – Rory McIlroy has embraced his leadership role on Europe’s Ryder Cup squad just as six eager-to-learn rookies join the lineup seeking to defeat the Americans for an unprecedented fourth time. After pars on the next two playoff holes, McIlroy managed another birdie to win the Championship and the FedExCup. Moore made a three-foot par putt to continue the playoff.

It was the first Tour Championship title for McIlroy, who won $1.53 million for his victory in the tournament and also claimed the $10 million bonus for finishing first in the FedEx Cup.

McIlroy stayed in touch with the chasing pack by holing his 137-yard approach to the 16th for an eagle-two, the hole where Chappell picked up a sixth birdie of the day.

He started the final round in third place at -6, 2 shots off the lead, needing to overhaul joint-leader Dustin Johnson, and win, to be in with a chance of the FedEx title. Chappell was woefully short on a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th for the win, and he was eliminated with a par on the first playoff hole when he made par.

The Ulsterman is the highest ranked European going into this weekend’s clash with Team USA at Hazeltine but needed four extra holes to see off the challenges of Kevin Chappell and Ryan Moore, with the trio tied on -12 after the final hole.

The sense that another such scenario might fall against him had been endorsed by missed opportunities to win in the first two knockout holes.

No Ryder Cup player has ever faced the challenge that final United States captain’s pick Ryan Moore has this week, joining his team five days before the start of competition.

“I’m glad he’s here this week”, said McIlroy.

“What I was saying was, ‘This is what I’d tell them: You guys are really good”.

“It was really getting frustrating when I don’t feel like I hit the ball much differently in Baltusrol, for example, than I did this week, but I’m sitting here with the TOUR Championship, the FedExCup, everything, where I was going home on a Friday night”.

Although he will be making his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine, Moore is no stranger to representing his country, as he has played in the Walker Cup, Palmer Cup and the World Amateur Team Championship during his career.

“When something like that happens, you have to make the most of it”, McIlroy said.

“I think this is the year not only could the USA win, they could win by like five points”. I’d want to impress him nearly and just go out there and do my thing. Chappell’s closing rounds in those runner-up finishes were 67, 69, 69 and 66. “I said to myself on the 15th tee, if I can finish with three threes I’ll give myself a chance”.

‘I couldn’t control what anyone else did. It just wasn’t enough today. Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, and keep it here at Pro Golf Now for more PGA Tour updates.

It was his fourth runner-up finish this season, in which he made more than $4.5 million but still doesn’t have a PGA Tour trophy.