Rory McIlroy opened up a mammoth lead over his rivals in The Race to Dubai with his third win in as many outings as he delivered a battling performance in near darkness to win his second Major championship of the season in the US PGA Championship.
The Northern Irishman looks to be in unstoppable form having enjoyed a spectacular few weeks that has also seen him claim The Open Championship and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
His victory at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, which saw him become the first player since Padraig Harrington in 2008 to win back-to-back Majors, and, at 25 years and 98 days, the third youngest player in modern history to win four Majors, was perhaps the most impressive of the bunch.
McIlroy took a one-stroke lead into a rain-delayed final round but found himself three off the pace at the turn as Rickie Fowler took the lead. But a stunning eagle three on the tenth followed by birdies on 13 and 17 saw him complete a gritty back-nine fight back as he signed for a closing 68 to win by one from Phil Mickelson with a 16 under par total of 268.
“I didn’t think in my wildest dreams I would have a summer like this,” said McIlroy after being presented with the huge Wanamaker Trophy for the second time in his career. "I just played the best golf of my life.
“I gutted it out today, it was a little different to my previous Major wins. I think I showed a lot of guts to get the job done.”
The record single-season prize money total on The European Tour is the €5,519,118 McIlroy himself amassed in 2012 as he topped The Race to Dubai and won the DP World Tour Championship.
But with 100 days to go until this year’s season-ending showcase, taking place at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 20-23, and the big-money Final Series still to come, McIlroy, with four wins under his belt, already has an eye-watering €5,120,709 with Sergio Garcia in second place on €2,273,917.
It was another great weekend for European Tour players as defending DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai champion Henrik Stenson went out in a breathtaking 30 shots in the final round at Valhalla as a 66 helped the Swede claim a share of third place with Rickie Fowler on 14 under par, a performance which moves him up to fourth place on The Race to Dubai with €1,696,231.
Finland’s Mikko Ilonen continued his fine season by taking a share of seventh place while South Africa’s Ernie Els and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson also reached the same total.
Inaugural DP World Tour Championship winner Lee Westwood, who was tied for the lead after the opening round, finished tied 15th and was joined by Louis Oosthuizen, Mark Warren and Charl Schwartzel.
All will be in the line-up when the DP World Tour Championship gets underway in November, forming what promises to be one of the most star-studded fields since the tournament began in 2009.
