Rory McIlroy sent a huge warning to the American Ryder Cup team on Sunday at East Lake.
Look out, you never know what’s gonna happen.
On a wild and wacky Sunday at the Tour Championship, Rory came roaring from behind, sent the tournament into overtime then after a five-hole playoff, ran in a birdie putt from just inside 15-feet to win the tournament and in the process, swiped the FedEx Cup from the floundering Dustin Johnson.
McIlroy sent the East Lake crowd into a frenzy when he holed out a wedge from 136 yards for eagle at the par four 16th in regulation play then nearly ended it at the 18th. He launched a 357-yard drive then from 213 yards out, hit a perfect second shot that stopped just six feet from the hole for eagle.
Ryan Moore, who played the final 18 with McIlroy, rolled in a crucial birdie putt to get to 12-under then stood and watched as McIlroy lipped out the eagle putt to tie at 12-under. Both Moore and McIlroy shot incredible 64s.
In the final group, Kevin Chappell failed to birdie the 18th but finished at 12-under and went into a playoff with McIroy and Moore.
Dustin Johnson, who saw everything fall apart over the final 18 holes, couldn’t find a fairway all day, couldn’t hit it close enough and surely didn’t make any putts. He shot 73, the worst score of all 29 players in the field. Still, he had a chance to win the FedEx Cup as long as McIlroy didn’t win.
Moore did his best to stop McIlroy. Both birdied the first playoff hole, the 18th but Chappell’s par sent him to the clubhouse with his fourth runnerup finish of the season.
McIlroy and Moore both parred 18 on the second go-round then headed to the par three 15th.
At 15, two pars sent it to the 16th, McIlroy’s lucky hole.
At 16, McIlroy launched a 340-yard drive and hit his second just inside 15-feet after Moore found an awkward spot on the fringe 40 feet from the hole. He made a huge mistake with his chip, caught a ridge that sent his ball careening 15-feet past the hole. He then holed it for a miracle par and watched as McIlroy drilled his birdie putt into the hole to win it all.
“It was incredible,” McIlroy said as he collected both trophies and the combined $11.8 million that went with them. “I wanted to concentrate on winning the Tour Championship. I played with Ryan all day and he played phenomenal golf. My game has come around at the right time, two wins in the last three feels pretty good.”
