It's just as well Rory McIlroy is something of a gym rat, for the world number one ripped one record after another apart in claiming the Wells Fargo Championship. The 26-year-old Northern Irishman – in the middle of a demanding five-week stint on tour – fired a final round 69 for 267, 21-under-par, which gave him a seven shots winning margin over Webb Simpson and Patrick Rodgers.
After the fireworks of his course record breaking 61 in Saturday’s third round, McIlroy’s gameplan in the final round was more conservative and less aggressive. But he never opened the door for those in pursuit, and the course – with its famed Green Mile finishing stretch from the 16th to the 18th – acted as an ally in penalising one of those nearest pursuers, Rodgers. The American was in water hazards on each of the two closing holes, running up a double on the 17th and a bogey on the 18th.
There were no such problems for McIlroy, who claimed his third title of the year. Having won the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour earlier in the season, McIlroy’s form stateside in recent weeks has been that of the world’s dominant player: his win in the WGC-Cadillac Matchplay championship kick-started a busy itinerary that then saw him finish eighth in last week’s Players and now to secure a second Wells Fargo title. It was at Quail Hollow that he made his breakthrough win on the US Tour back in 2010.
With the defence of his BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth coming up this week, and then his hosting of the Irish Open at Royal County Down next week, McIlroy has reached the midpoint of his five-week stretch in tiptop form. He is on one of those streaks of his, one where he is playing a different course to everyone else.
McIlroy – who claimed the $1.2 million top prize and moved up to third in the FedEx Cup standings – had not planned to play Quail Hollow, conscious that a five-week stretch is demanding on the body and the mind. “I originally wasn’t going to play because, you know, five weeks is a lot of golf but I thought ‘I play so well here, I love the place, I’m playing well, there’s no reason not to go’. I’m glad the decision paid off.”
For sure, it turned out to be a very wise decision, as McIlroy takes momentum with him on to his defence of the European Tour’s flagship event in Wentworth and onward to Royal County Down for an Irish Open where he is the headline act.
A scintillating 61 in Saturday’s third round moved McIlroy into a commanding position. In that third round, he averaged drives of 334.5 yards, hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation and required only 23 putts in claiming 11 birdies in a bogey-free round.
In the final round, McIlroy didn't match that play – but, then, he didn't need to. He hit only seven of 14 fairways but found 14 of 18 greens in regulation and took 30 putts. Yet, it was comfortably enough as he claimed an 11th PGA Tour title, another record for a non-American player under 30 years of age. McIlroy had previously shared the record – 10 – with Gary Player.
The Ulsterman bogeyed the second before claiming birdies on the front nine’s two Par 5s, the fifth and the seventh. He failed to birdie either of the two Par 5s on the back nine, but did claim birdies on the 12th, 14th and 16th before dropping a shot on the 17th. That birdie on the 14th – a tap-in – was his 26th birdie of the tournament (a new record) and, then, his approach from 141 yards to set up another birdie on the 16th enabled him to improve on that record.
McIlroy's total of 267 also broke the tournament record, previously held by Anthony Kim.
“I think the golf course sets up perfectly for me. I had a goal going out to birdie the Par 5s and the two drivable Par 4s and knew if I made six birdies out there was no chance that anyone could catch me. With my length and the way I am driving it, it is a big advantage and it showed this week.
“Back in 2012 when I got to world number one, I got a bit complacent and had to rededicate myself a little bit and to work as hard as I can and to be the best that I can be. That’s the only way to fight over-confidence. I’m really happy with my game, firing on all cylinders. I’ve solidified myself at the top of the world rankings and I’m looking forward to the next couple of weeks in Europe . . . the Irish Open is like my fifth Major this year,” said McIlroy.
