After winning the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy heads into the PGA Championship on a heater — again. Can he capitalize this time?
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LOUISVILLE,Kentucky—ThelasttimeRoryMcIlroywalkedthe18thfairwayofValhallaGolfClub,itwasaraceagainsttimeinthefinalroundofthe2014PGAChampionship.
Afterrallyingfroma3-strokedeficitattheturntochasedownRickieFowler,PhilMickelsonandHenrikStenson,McIlroyhita9-ironoutofafairwaybunkerto10feetonthe17thholeandmadebirdietotakea2-strokelead.
Withdarknessclosinginfastfollowinganearlytwo-hourtorrentialraindelay,MickelsonandFowleragreedtoallowMcIlroyandhisplayingpartner,Austria’sBerndWiesberger,toteeoffbeforetheyreachedtheirteeshotsinthefairway,essentiallyplayingthefinalholeasafoursome.
McIlroynearlyhithisteeshotonNo.18intowaterdowntherightsideofthefairway.FowlerandMickelsonstoodtothesideagain,asMcIlroyhithisapproachshotintoagreensidebunkerandtwo-puttedfrom35feetforpar.
Withaclosingroundof3-under68,McIlroy’s72-holescoringtotalof16-under268wasonebetterthanMickels
