Updated 17:10
RORY MCILROY OVERCAME a tough week in his personal life to capture the European PGA title at Wentworth this afternoon.
The Northern Irishman, who broke up from former fianceé Caroline Wozniacki earlier in the week, finished on -14 to edge out second placed Shane Lowry. McIlroy was two under for his round after 11 holes but recorded four more birdies over the closing seven holes to card a stunning round of 66.
Lowry overtook Thomas Bjorn at the top of the leaderboard as play went down the back nine at Wentworth. He eagled the fourth and birdied the following hole. He bogeyed nine but claimed a shot back with a birdie on the par three 10th. The Offaly native reached -14 but a double bogey and bogey down the stretch cost him dear. He birdied 18 to finish on -13.
Bjorn, who shot rounds of 62, 72 and 67 coming into today, birdied four to reach -16 but has bogeyed twice on the following holes. The major damage, however, came on the par four sixth as Bjorn double-bogeyed. He consolidated with a string of pars but failed to challenge the top two.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher burnt up the course and posted a clubhouse score of -9 but McIlroy’s remarkable finish saw him finish well clear of that early marker. Luke Donald was third, on -12.
– First published at 15:15
Lesson learned Rory-Dump the missus and I’ll be playing off scratch by Xmas, all that money wasted on fancy equipment and coaching when the solution is blindingly obvious…..I’d say Mrs. Harrington is a worried woman this evening also, Padraig is known to try all kinds of stuff to improve his game! You know what you have to do now lads.
I’d love to see Shane win this.
I’d love to see it full stop, but I don’t have Sky Sports!!
There’s the excuse you were looking for. Get thee to the public house
It seems Rory is not in need of the love of a good woman.
Pity an Irishman didnt win. Next time Shane.
Probably a good man!He could be the kinda son that would be a GAAs man worst nightmare!!Ya never know:-)
Well done shane.have your tour card for another year getting it in one of the biggest tournaments of the year.should be proud of himself and just shows that rory is over carolines breakup.well done to both,representing ireland wonderfully!
Why would he represent Ireland? He attends British dinners at the white house a week before paddys day,has said he feels more British than Irish,and has a british passport,Lowry is the only Irishman who appears in this story yet the brit is the one being drooled over.
Mark ,why so bitter if you thi k about it with any common sense it’s better for irish golf if he declared for great Britain for the Olympics it opens up an extra spot for an irish golfer , but just because he thinks himself British it still does not change the fact he is from norn Ireland and is there also irish
You’re mixing bitterness up with me stating hard facts,as I said above Rory is British and should represent Britain I have nothing against the young lad at all I hope he shows his obvious skills to the world as often as possible plus he seems like a nice bloke although I obviously don’t know him personally,put it this way if golf fans in Ireland and the Irish golfing union keep putting pressure on him to represent a country and people he doesn’t feel as closely associated with won’t that pressure affect his game?
So the Irish team would be better off if one of the best golfers in the world declared for another country to play against us?
I cannot for the life of me think why so many on here think that being Irish and British are mutually exclusive.
Jesus,don’t you no national pride a pinch of nationalism in ya!
Poor Rory obviously took the break-up pretty hard…….
Fair play to Mc and Lowry. People give him a lotta $hit for how he rolls but the reality is, he’s a young lad with wild talent operating in a solo sport. How he runs his personal life is of nobody’s concern. Crazy bread and fame, dunno how many of his critics could handle living in the limelight any better. Pretty sure they wouldn’t considering they haven’t done $hit themselves.
Well done Rory, crazy to think he’s never won in Europe before
Well done rory well done Lowry too great tournament
Caroline must be sick !!
He was serious when he said the break up would affect his golf. Well done lad
Was she a bad luck charm?!? Maybe :p
G’wan the lads!
I see his break up seriously affected him lol.
Shane highry
As soon as I get home, the wife and kids are outa there. Well done Rory, that’s one for the boys.
Great golf but….the first golfer to win this tournament got 400 pounds in 1955 while Rory McIlroy will add another million plus to his fortune. The original winner scored 17 under par while Rory won with 14 under par. In 1955 you could buy a new Morris Minor for 400 pounds. All great golfers of course but todays golfers were born lucky.
You couldn’t buy a new Morris Minor with the €750 grand Rory won today.
That top pic is not Rory..
Yes it is
Who is it so?
They changed it. It was a pic of McDowell.
The pic of the golfer in red golf trousers? It’s Rory all right!
You’d think he’d be able to afford a decent pair of slacks.
His missus picked them out.
If Caroline picked them out I’m not surprised the wedding is off! ;-)
Jitters are catching.
Would’nt imagine Rory is too popular in Denmark this morning
Bjorn triple bogeyed the sixth