RoryMcIlroy repeated his stunning U.S. Open success to capture the PGA Championshipwith a similar commanding eight stroke winning margin of victory along the Kiawah Island shoreline.
McIlroy turned a venue infamous for the 1991 Ryder Cup ‘War On the Shore’ into his own version of ‘Rors Roars on The Shore’ in carding a bogey free round of 66 to win with a 13-under tally.
On a windy sunny summer’s afternoon McIlroy strode down the last slipping off his off his cap and then running his fingers through his hair to unravel his curly brown locks, knowing, if he did, he could take 11 down the 72nd and win by one.
Rory McIlroy plants a kiss on the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy. (Photo - Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
McIlroy strode tall, very tall winning a second Major championship to join Tiger Woods as the only two active players under the age of 40 competing on either the European or PGA Tour’s with more than one Major win.
A second Major victory in just his 17th Major appearance also sees McIlroy overhaul Woods and Luke Donald to storm back to the World No. 1.
“It’s just an incredible day (big smile),” he said.
“I just sort of continued on from the rain delay last night. Played some beautiful golf on the back nine this morning, even though I didn’t hole any putts ‑‑ I could have holed a couple of putts and been a bit better.
“Went out this afternoon and just tried to play solid golf and I set myself a target. I said, look if get to 12‑under par, nobody is going to catch me and I was able to go one better than that.
“To sit up here and see this trophy and call myself a multiple Major Champion, I know I’ve talked about it in the past, and not many people have done it, and yeah, I’m very privileged to join such an elite list of names.”
Indeed, McIlroy joins all the greats of the game – Jack Nicklaus (1971, ’73, ’75 and ’80), Gary Player (1962 & 1972), Lee Trevino (1973), Raymond Floyd (1982), Payne Stewart (1989), Nick Price (1992 and ’94) and Tiger Woods (1999, 2000, 2006 & 2007) as recipients of the Rodman Wanamaker trophy.
And after some indifferent showings in the Majors since his commanding Congressional performance, McIlroy has now set his sights already on next April’s U.S. Masters.
“I think I made it very clear that I wasn’t too happy with how I’ve performed in the majors since the U.S. Open,” he said.
“I didn’t really contend. And come in here Wednesday and just talked about giving myself a chance and to be honest, that’s all I wanted to do.
“I feel these days when I give myself a chance to win one of these big tournaments, I can draw on the memories of Augusta, of Congressional, and now of today, and know what I did out there and know what to do again.
“So you know, there’s a few emotions going through. There’s quite a bit of relief to get the second one out of the way. But you know, just so happy that I was able to play like this and win another major.
“I heard Tiger say, you can have a good season, but to make a good season a great season, you need a Major Championship.
“Now I’ve had two great seasons in a row no matter what happens from here on in. Hopefully I can play some great golf from now until the end of the year and get myself ready for another great season next year, too.”
And one of the first McIlroy called straight after his win, apart from him mum, Rosie back hom in Holywood, was girlfriend Caroline, competing in a tournament in Cincinnati.
