Billy Horschel of the US won the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship and captured the playoff points crown on Sunday, firing a final-round 68 to defeat Jim Furyk and Rory McIlroy by three strokes.
Horschel, who won the previous weekend’s BMW Championship in Denver, Colorado, after losing the weekend before on an errant approach at the final hole, fired his 12th consecutive round in the 60s to finish 72 holes on 11-under 269.
World No. 1 McIlroy and seventh-ranked Furyk, who has not won since the 2010 Tour Championship, shared second on 272, with England’s Justin Rose, Chris Kirk of the US and Australian Jason Day another stroke adrift.
Expecting the birth of a baby daughter in two weeks, Horschel took the FedEx Cup playoff bonus of US$10 million and the US$1.4 million top prize for winning the tournament.
Horschel, 27, who entered the four-week playoff run only 60th in points, won more money in one day than he had since turning professional five years ago.
“It’s unbelievable,” Horschel said. “I was sort of looking toward the start of the 2014-2015 season... I knew my game was in good shape and I needed to get out of my own way.”
Horschel credited a putting tip from coach Todd Anderson three weeks ago with sparking the run to glory.
McIlroy fired a one-over 71, stumbling back with three bogeys in a row starting at the ninth. He ran off three birdies in a row starting at the 15th hole, but it was too little, too late.
The Northern Irishman praised Horschel, but said he was tired after a four-week playoff run and ready for a long rest before the Ryder Cup begins later this month.
“I think it was just a week too far,” McIlroy said. “I was making mistakes out there that I don’t usually make and it got away from me. I don’t want to see my golf clubs until the Ryder Cup.”
McIlroy and Horschel, playing together in the final duo, began the day level at nine-under and each birdied the fourth hole to stay deadlocked in the lead.
Horschel sank a 19-foot birdie putt at the fifth to take the lead and McIlroy found water off the tee with a five-iron at the sixth on his way to a double-bogey.
McIlroy took bogeys at holes nine to 11 to stumble out of contention, while Furyk made a run for the top with birdies at the second, third and ninth holes to move one back of Horschel.
Furyk birdied the par-five 15th, tapping in after leaving a 56-foot eagle putt just short, to match Horschel for the lead at 10-under, but Horschel answered with a five-foot birdie putt of his own at 15 to reclaim the lead with three holes to play.
Furyk closed with back-to-back bogeys to stumble back, leaving Horschel to par the last two holes for the triumph.
“It was nice knowing after I hit my tee shot on the green at 18 that is was pretty much sewn up,” Horschel said.
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