Golf star surges back to win $18 million prize
Rory McIlroy overturned a six-shot deficit to chase down world number one Scottie Scheffler and win the PGA Tour Championship on Sunday – earning a record third FedEx Cup and a cool $18 million payday in the process.
McIlroy fired a final round score of 66 at East Lake just outside Atlanta, which saw the Northern Irishman card 21 under par for the tournament.
That was enough to put him one shot ahead of Masters champion Scheffler, who had led the pack but finished with just one birdie in a final round 73 to end on 20 under par. The American finished tied for second on the leadership board with South Korea’s Sungjae Im.
The winning moment for @McIlroyRory 🏆 pic.twitter.com/kW541guw2z
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 28, 2022
The record third FedEx Cup win for McIlroy and the accompanying riches follow a tumultuous season for golf.
The sport has been described as descending into ‘civil war’ following the launch of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series, which has poached a growing list of star names and has resulted in sanctions from the PGA amid bitter legal wrangling.
Four-time major winner McIlroy – along with golf icon Tiger Woods – has emerged as the PGA’s biggest cheerleader in the publicity war with LIV Golf, and used his win on Sunday to repeat his support.
“I believe in the game of golf. I believe in this tour, in particular. I believe in the players on this tour,” McIlroy said at the trophy presentation.
“It’s the greatest place in the world to play golf, bar none, and I’ve played all over.”
The $18 million prize boosted McIlroy’s overall tour earnings for the year to more than $26 million. In career terms, McIlroy’s three FedEx Cup victories have brought him $43 million.
McIlroy and Woods recently announced a new PGA-backed golf venture – ‘TGL’ – which will launch in 2024 and promises fans a new “technology-infused” and stadium-based team format.
