RORY MCILROY overcame a three shot deficit to win the second US PGA Tour playoff at the TPC Boston, jumping to the top of the FedEx Cup standings.
The World’s No.1 golfer held off fellow major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Tiger Woods for his third US tour win of the year.
Five Aussies made it through to the third event in the series, headed by Adam Scott who made a final round charge to finish tied for seventh.
After surging past overnight leader Oosthuizen with a birdie blitz early, McIlroy made a couple of errors on the final two holes to give the South African golfer a chance of forcing a playoff.
That wasn’t to be and the 23 year old Northern Irishman closed with a 4-under 67 to reach 20-under and secure a one-shot victory.
“I didn’t finish it off the way I would have liked but I got there in the end so I’m very happy,” McIlroy said. “It’s my third victory of the year and great to get a victory in the playoffs. It sets me up in a great position going into the next two weeks.”
Oosthuizen had a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff but his attempt slid by the hole and he finished with a 71.
Woods fought back into contention early but just didn’t make crucial putts when it mattered. The same guy in the same final round red shirt but just not, it seems, the same ruthless putter.
Woods can’t be too displeased though, he finished with a 66 (all four rounds in the 60’s for the first time in a couple of years) to be alone in third on 19-under and win enough to become the first golfer ever to surpass US$100 million in PGA Tour earnings.
Phil Mickelson (66) and fellow American and Ryder Cup hopeful Dustin Johnson (70) tied for fourth at 14-under.
Scott too had four rounds in the 60’s and finished with a 5-under 66 and a tournament total of 12-under.
“I had the weekend I wanted,” Scott said after moving from 30th to 25th in the Playoff standings. “I salvaged something out of this week after a frustrating first two days. I felt like I played well enough to win yet I’m 10 shots back because I just didn’t putt well.”
John Senden moved to 26th in the standings after another good performance, finishing 12th at nine-under. He’ll rue a four putt on the 18th green however that cost him a top ten finish.
Greg Chalmers (-3), Marc Leishman (-2), and Geoff Ogilvy (Even) did enough to stay inside the top 70 and move on this week while it’s all over this year for Aaron Baddeley (-2) Jason Day (Even).
The top 70 compete this week in the BMW Championship at the Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indiana. There is then a week break before the final 30 battle it out form September 20 to 23 in the 2012 Tour Championship in Atlanta for the FedEx Cup and the US$10 million winner’s cheque.