Rory McIlroy storms back from six shots behind to stun Scottie Scheffler and win Tour Championship

ByAlex Livie

Updated 29/08/2022 at 05:39 GMT

The 2022 PGA Tour season came to a close and the Tour Championship at East Lake. Rory McIlroy and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler were in the final group, with the latter starting the final round with a six-shot lead. Sungjae Im got into the mix at one stage, but it boiled down to a battle between McIlroy and Scheffler. It was McIlroy who emerged victorious in stunning style.

After near misses at the majors, Rory McIlroy delivered the statement win his season deserved with a stunning victory at the Tour Championship.

He left himself too much to do at the Masters, US PGA Championship and US Open, and suffered the agony of being overhauled by a rampant Cameron Smith at the Open.

But on an East Lake course he loves, McIlroy overhauled Scottie Scheffler to become the only player to win the FedEx Cup on three occasions. The added benefit being a cheque for $18 million

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Starting the final round six shots adrift of world No. 1 Scheffler, McIlroy - who did brilliantly to get into the final group - looked his opponent in the eye.

McIlroy put Scheffler under the pump and asked probing question after probing question. He eliminated the deficit by the seventh and the pair traded blow after blow.

Scheffler took the lead on 14, but a huge putt from McIlroy for birdie on 15 drew him level once again, and he let out a huge “come on!”

McIlroy made a barely believable par save on 16 to take the lead on his own and he just about controlled his nerves to par 18 - a hole he had made look simple all week - to close out an amazing win.

Final Leaderboard

• 1. Rory McIlroy, 21-under
• T2. Sungjae Im, 20-under
• T2. Scottie Scheffler, 20-under
• 4. Xander Schauffele, 18-under
• T5. Max Homa, 17-under
• T5. Justin Thomas, 17-under
• T7. Patrick Cantlay, 16-under
• T7. Sepp Straka, 16-under

Trailing by six shots, McIlroy went flag hunting off the first. After Scheffler had gone off line, it was a mistake and he short-sided himself and both players walked off the opening hole with a bogey on the card.

McIlroy continued to attack and an excellent approach on the third brought him a birdie - and the honour off the tee.

Hitting first allowed McIlroy to pump in big drives and put pressure on Scheffler.

Scheffler does not look like a player who feels pressure, but he struggled off the tee and bogeys on four and six opened the door.

One hole later Scheffler was reeled in, as McIlroy poured in his third birdie on the spin on seven.

Scheffler produced a brilliant response on the eighth, sending his approach to five feet, and after being the hunter for 60 holes, McIlroy’s approach was off target and it allowed his playing partner to take the lead on his own once again

Scheffler made an incredible up and down from a horrible lie in the rough on 12, with the 13-foot putt being greeted by a pump of the fist. But McIlroy was not fazed as he stuffed his eight-footer for birdie into the middle of the cup to draw level again.

World No. 1 Scheffler made a stunning par save on 13 after another awful tee shot, and the momentum turned his way on 14. After finding the fairway and green in regulation, Scheffler asked the question of McIlroy and he made a huge error - short-siding himself on the right.

McIlroy went for glory with his chip from the rough. It was inches from being brilliant, but resulted in him picking up a bogey to hand the lead back to Scheffler once again.

McIlroy simply refused to go away, and a huge birdie putt on 15 got him back level once again - to the Irishman’s delight.

An incredible up and down from the back of the green from a seemingly hopeless position on 16 saw McIlroy hit the front on his own for the first time, as Scheffler failed to do the same from a greenside bunker.

Scheffler missed a makeable birdie putt on 17, leaving McIlroy with a one-stroke lead on the 18th tee.

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Both found the fairway, but nerves can do strange things to golf swings and McIlroy sent his approach way left.

Scheffler had an opening, but his bunker shot went through the green and McIlroy closed out a quite remarkable comeback victory.

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