RORY MCILROY CAME up just short in his bid to defend his title at the the Wells Fargo Championship tonight.

McIlroy ended in a tie for fifth after bogeying the last and carding a final round of 68. 

It left him four under for the tournament and contemplating what might have been once again. 

Max Homa held off fellow American Keegan Bradley down the stretch on Sunday to calim the title.

World number 38 Homa fired a two-under par 68 in cold and breezy conditions to finish on eight-under 272 for a two-stroke victory at rain-soaked TPC Potomac at Avenel in suburban Washington.

“It feels good,” Homa said. “It’s a special day for me. I just feel like life is good and I’m playing some good golf.”

Homa, 31, had captured prior tour trophies at the 2019 Wells Fargo, Riviera in February 2021 and last September at Napa, California.

Homa joined Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, fellow American Sam Burns, Australian Cameron Smith and 2021 Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama of Japan as multiple PGA Tour winners in the 2021-22 season.

“It’s super awesome,” Homa said. “I’m coming into my own and starting to believe in myself and that’s all I can ask for.”

Third-round leader Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner in his major debut, made a closing bogey to shoot 72 and settled for a share of second on 274 with countryman Cameron Young and England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick.

“I didn’t play my best golf,” Bradley said. “It was choppy and then I had a couple good stretches but I had a chance there at the end, so I’m proud of that aspect of it.”

Four-time major winner and defending champion McIlroy was fifth on 276 with India’s Anirban Lahiri, American Lanto Griffin and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger on 277.

– © AFP 2022