Sizzling Rory McIlroy captures PGA Pebble Beach title

SAN FRANCISCO – Rory McIlroy delivered an overwhelming back-nine performance on Feb 2 for a two-stroke victory at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am to capture his 27th career PGA Tour title.

The 35-year-old four-time Major winner from Northern Ireland made three birdies and an eagle after the turn to fire a six-under 66 and finish on 21-under 267 at the famed oceanside course.

“Some people would argue that the golf courses I’ve won on are not up to a Pebble Beach or an Augusta or whatever, but to win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really, really cool,” McIlroy said.

“I knew today was going to be tough. It was going to be exciting. There were so many guys that were around the lead. And I guess with it being Pebble Beach, I had to put that to the back of my mind and just go out there and try to shoot a score, which I was able to.”

Ireland’s Shane Lowry, the 2019 British Open champion, birdied 18 to shoot 68 and grab second on 269 but missed out on a fourth career PGA title.

“I didn’t have my best stuff all day. I just hung in there. I said ‘Let’s try and make Rory win this, let’s not give it to him’,” Lowry said.

“When players like Rory McIlroy turn up and have their A-game, they’re pretty much impossible to beat. It wasn’t my day, but it has been a good week.”

Sharing third were past US Open winners Lucas Glover of the United States and England’s Justin Rose, who sank a 61-foot eagle putt from off the green at the par-five 18th to shoot 68.

World No. 3 McIlroy took only his second career triumph in California, the other coming at the 2015 WGC Match Play at Harding Park in San Francisco.

He has ensured an eighth consecutive season with a victory, and he hopes to complete a career Grand Slam at the Majors by winning the US Masters in April at Augusta National.

Austrian Sepp Straka, who won his third PGA title two weeks ago, led by one when the day began. But he opened with a bogey and could not match McIlroy’s pace from there, sharing seventh on 272.

By the back nine, much of the excitement involved McIlroy.

The eagle on the par-five 14th hole gave him a four-under score across the first five holes of the back nine, stretching his lead to four strokes. He reached the green with a driver and seven-iron before sinking the 26-foot putt.

He had parred the hole the previous two days after what he described as exceptional tee shots.

McIlroy followed through this time. Then he tacked on a birdie on No. 15 and even Glover’s birdies on the final two holes were not enough to catch him.

Neither was Rose’s chip from the fringe that rolled in for an eagle on No. 18. AFP, REUTERS