Rory McIlroy exhibited just why he is the World Number One by charging to victory in the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick.
The 23 year old Northern Irishman played beautifully to secure a third win in four starts and a second in succession following last week’s triumph at the Deutsche Bank Championship, becoming the first player to win back-to-back titles on the US PGA Tour since Tiger Woods three years ago.
A closing 67 containing six birdies, 11 pars and a solitary bogey on the final hole saw him finish two clear of Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson on 20 under.
"I came here with the mindset from Boston that I just wanted to keep going on this roll," said the 23-year-old, whose previous triumph lifted him to number one in the FedEx Cup standings and ensured he will have a shot at the US$ 10million prize at the Tour Championship in Atlanta later this month.
"Some suggested that I could have taken a week off and still could have been in the top five in the FedEx Cup standings going into Atlanta, but I felt like I was playing really well and didn't want to stop that run.
"I sort of picked up where I left off in Boston, shot 64 the first day here, and just playing with a lot of confidence right now.
"I'm confident in my ability and confident with the shots that I'm hitting and confident on the greens. I'm making the right decisions out there, and everything is really just going to plan at the minute.
"It's a nice run to be on, and I want to try to keep it going for as long as possible."
The displays of McIlroy and Westwood will surely have delighted José María Olazábal ahead of this month’s Ryder Cup at Medinah.
For much of the final round, the Englishman was firmly in contention. However, he then bogeyed the 14th and saw playing partner McIlroy birdie the next two to pull clear.
Westwood subsequently signed for a 69, while Mickelson – one clear overnight together with Vijay Singh – went round in 70.
Singh was unable to mount a challenge on the final day; the Fijian finished five off the pace despite a closing birdie.
Tiger Woods ended the week with a 68 and shared fourth place with Robert Garrigus on 17 under.
