Rory McIlroy serves up his Sunday best for a runaway win at Quail Hollow
RORY MCILROY ENJOYED the best possible preparation for next week’s PGA Championship as he pulled clear of the field for a runaway win at the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday.
McIlroy started the final round one stroke behind leader Xander Schauffele in what looked destined to be a straight shootout between the pair for the $3.6 million (€3.3m) first prize.
But a majestic round, capped by two eagles on the back nine, saw McIlroy turn the contest into a procession and a five-shot victory.
His 26th career win on the PGA Tour — and his fourth at Quail Hollow — was already secure by the time he found the water on the 18th, but a closing double bogey took none of the gloss off a six-under 65 and a day to savour.
The world number two, who claimed the Zurich Classic alongside Shane Lowry a fortnight ago, made it back-to-back tournament wins ahead of his return to Valhalla – the scene of his most recent major victory in 2014.
McIlroy told Sky Sports: “Coming into this week, at a golf course I am comfortable with, my golf swing feels more comfortable than it has done.
“Going to a venue next week where I have won, it feels like the stars are aligning a little bit. But I have a lot of golf to play and a lot of great players to try to beat.
“I am going into the next major of the year feeling really good about myself.”
Schauffele finished five behind in second after stumbling to a 71, with South Korea’s An Byeong-hun third on nine under after a 66.
McIlroy birdied the first after a fine approach to inside five feet. However, he handed the shot back at the fourth after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker.
Schauffele’s run of pars ended with a three-putt bogey on the sixth but he bounced back in style at the next, firing his approach to the par five to 12 feet and holing for eagle.
McIlroy found himself two shots back when he made par on the same hole after three-putting.
However, he stormed back with birdies at the eighth and ninth before producing an eagle of his own from 34 feet at the 10th.
Schauffele was only one under for the same three-hole stretch to leave the four-time major winner one ahead.
McIlroy found himself two in front as Schauffele dropped a shot on the 12th and ramped up the pressure on his playing partner with a birdie from 13 feet at the short next.
Schauffele failed to save par after hitting his tee shot into rough behind the green on the 13th to leave McIlroy four clear.
McIlroy got up and down from a greenside bunker for another gain at the driveable 14th, with Schauffele missing from five feet to leave his rival five clear.
An eagle from a greenside bunker on the 15th eliminated any prospect of a nervy finish for McIlroy and the 35-year-old parred the 16th and 17th before dropping two shots on the last after hitting his approach in the water.
More to follow…
