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Rory McIlroy failed to covert final round contention into a title win. And as McIlroy, the world number one, closed out the Deutsche Bank championship with a 70 that ultimately left him four shots adrift in tied-fifth position, 29-year-old American Chris Kirk claimed the biggest title of his career and also moved to the top of the FedEx Cup rankings.
Kirk demonstrated a superb ability to scramble and shot a free closing round 66 for a total of 269, 15-under-par.
Another member of that US team at RCD also played his part in the final round drama, as Billy Horschel stood in the middle of the 18th fairway requiring a birdie to force a play-off and an eagle to win.
However, Horschel caught his approach shot heavy and watched in disbelief as his ball came up in the waste hazard to signal the end of his ambition.
It proved to be a costly second shot to the 18th, as Horschel bogeyed the final hole to drop back into a share of second place with Geoff Ogilvy and Russell Henley on 271.
“It is always great to play well on a big stage like that, I love being in that kind of an environment ..... playing with [McIlroy] definitely heightens my level of focus,” said Kirk. The win catapulted Kirk to the top of the FedEx Cup and also put him in line for a Ryder Cup pick from Tom Watson.
“I have said all along I would love to be a part of the team and get a pick. I have put myself in contention for one, we will just have to wait to see what happens,” said Kirk.
McIlroy – who finished with a 70 for a total of 273, 11-under – failed to get any momentum going on the front nine, where a birdie on the drivable Par 4 fourth hole was followed by back-to-back bogeys.
On the fifth, he was twice in rough and, on the difficult sixth he got too greedy from a bunker and his ball hit the lip of the bunker and came back to rest at his feet. When McIlroy birdied the seventh and eighth to move to 11-under, it appeared as if the Ulster man was ready to finally make his move. It didn’t happen.
Just as his name appeared towards the top of the leaderboard, McIlroy fell backwards with bogeys on the 10th (when in rough off the tee) and the 12th, where he missed the green with his approach shot. McIlroy had to wait until the 16th, where he hit his tee shot to 12 inches, to get back on the birdie train.
He kept the best until the end, hitting a huge 347 yards drive off the 18th tee and then hitting his approach from 180 yards to eight feet.
The birdie at least moved McIlroy to a share of fifth, sufficient to keep him in second place in the FedEx Cup standings and very much in contention for the $10 million bonus that awaits the champion after the Tour Championship.
Before heading out, McIlroy: “I think this golf course suits a longer hitter. I am comfortable around this course, there’s a big Irish community in Boston who come out to support me.”
Two players hoping to catch the eye of European captain Paul McGinley showed decent form: Ian Poulter finished with a 66 for 277, seven under, for a share of 23rd place, while Luke Donald closed with a 67 for level par 284, in tied-57th.
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