There were a lot of ways to see the final round of the PLAYERS Championship on Sunday.
The old man versus the young gun.
Short hitter versus bomber.
Or major champion versus major champion.
Regardless, Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk, 48, played one of the best final rounds of his career, but still couldn’t hold off Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day indeed.
McIlroy didn’t look dominant early in the day, especially after making a double bogey on the fourth hole. “It came out soft and just came out a bit left,” he said. “It was a pretty bad lie. I was trying to land it like 10 yards on the green just right of the hazard, and if it had been just that little further right, it would have probably landed in a good spot, but it just came out a little bit left.”
Instead, McIlroy found himself on a crowded leaderboard, which remained the case until his final par on the 18th, which gave McIlroy a one-shot victory.
“I’m so pleased that this good run of golf has culminated in getting a win early in the season, but it’s not just a win early in the season, it’s a massive win,” he said. “It’s a tournament that I’ve never won before on a golf course that I’ve had mixed results on, so I feel like I’m going to take even more from that, and I had to grind it out down the stretch, as well, which I’ll take a lot from.”
Can you say early favourite at the Masters?
Jim Furyk wasn’t even sure he’d get into the PLAYERS Championship, but he made the most of the opportunity. Furyk has actually played well this season—he has three Top 10 finishes this year—and played a great fourth-round, shooting 67 in tough conditions. He held the lead until McIlroy’s birdie on 16, and was obviously pleased with the way he played.
“I don’t feel any less pride for the way I played because I didn’t win,” he said. “And because it was Rory, I mean, probably doesn’t take any sting out of it. I have a lot of respect for his game. I have a lot of respect for him as a person. But it still stings. I mean, I’m a competitor, and I want to win, and it pisses me off I didn’t.”
Abbotsford, BC’s Nick Taylor had a strong final round of 67, moving 16 spots to finish in a tie for 16th. Listowel, Ont.’s Corey Conners wasn’t as lucky, dropping 17 spots in the final round to finish in a tie for 41st.
Tiger Woods recorded a 3-under 69 in the final round to finish in a tie for 30th. Tiger said he’s trending well heading to Augusta: “It’s right on track,” he said. “I’m able to shape the golf ball both ways, which I’m going to need there. Just need a few more putts go in, but that’s about it.”
Englishman Eddie Pepperell, the man with arguably the most entertaining Twitter feed in pro golf, shot a stunning 6-under 66 to hold the early clubhouse lead. “I like to win money so I can pay for some wine,” he said. “That’s probably the biggest positive, in a crude way.”
Rory McIlroy What’s In The Bag
M5 Driver | 9°
M5 Fairway | 19°
P790 2-iron
P750 irons | (3-4)
P730 irons | (5-9)
Milled Grind Wedge | 48°
MG Hi-Toe Wedges | 54°& 60°
Spider X Putter
2019 TP5 Golf Ball | #22