Rory McIlroy openly acknowledged that his golf swing still falls short of his expectations as the season draws to a close with the Tour Championship, even though he came within a whisker of winning the BMW Championship. After a disappointing showing at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he finished 66th out of 68 competitors, McIlroy managed to turn things around dramatically in St. Louis, delivering a performance that signaled a significant improvement.
At Bellerive Country Club, the world No. 2 birdied three of his final four holes in the third round, closing the gap to just five strokes behind the leader, Wyndham Clark.
That surge set up a Sunday showdown with the US Open champion, and McIlroy eventually matched Clark’s score on the final day, creating a tense head‑to‑head battle. Despite being tied for the lead with three holes remaining, McIlroy ultimately finished third, four strokes behind Clark, who sealed a three‑birdie finish to claim a three‑shot victory and his third PGA Tour win of the year. Reflecting on his play, McIlroy said, "I'm closer [with my game] than I was at the start of the week, but I'm still not in a spot where I'm super happy with where my game is or where my swing is, so I just have to keep working on it." He added, "It's nice to know, even when I'm not super happy with everything, I can still piece it together and get it around and still give myself a chance to win tournaments." The Irishman capitalised on an aggressive two‑shot swing on the first hole, recovered from bogeys on the fourth and seventh, and then produced three birdies over a four‑hole stretch beginning at the eighth.
This surge brought him level after Clark had already posted a three‑over score through his first ten holes. Clark, however, regained momentum with a 15‑foot birdie putt on the 16th and followed it with a birdie on the next par‑five, while McIlroy dropped a shot on that hole. Clark then added another birdie on the 18th to widen his margin over Patrick Cantlay and secure the win. McIlroy reflected on his overall play, saying, "I felt like most of my game held up today.
Obviously, going out in the final group and you're working on some stuff, you're just hoping that everything stays the way it is. I hit it well on the back nine. I gave myself plenty of chances.
I just couldn't get a putt to drop there in those final few holes. I always felt like I needed to just get my nose ahead to really try to put the pressure on Wyndham [Clark] and I couldn't." He noted the pivotal moment on the 16th, "We were tied there for a few holes and then when he made that putt on 16 for a two and I couldn't answer—that was obviously a huge moment in the round and in the tournament. Overall, I'm encouraged with how I played this week and certainly something to build on going into East Lake." Both competitors found trouble off the tee on the par‑five 17th.
Clark chose to lay up, setting up a birdie opportunity, while McIlroy took a risk that sent his ball into a bunker, leading to a tournament‑ending bogey. "I tried to get it up a bit too far," McIlroy admitted afterward.
"I should have been taking that left bunker out of play. If you're going to lay it up, lay it up, so just another stupid decision with a lay‑up on a par‑five that cost me." When asked whether he felt he deserved the win, McIlroy told CBS Sports, "I can't be too disappointed.
I'm probably not playing well enough to be disappointed that I didn't win. I had my chances on the back nine and hit a lot of good putts that didn't go in. Wyndham Clark stepped up when he needed to. His birdie on 16 was huge and the way he played the last three holes, he showed a lot of character." The PGA Tour season now reaches its climax at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, where only the top 30 players in the FedExCup standings are eligible to compete for the coveted $10 million first prize and the season‑long points crown.
Fans worldwide will be watching to see who can seize the final opportunity to claim the FedExCup, with live coverage slated to begin on Sky Sports Golf and streaming options available without a contract on NOW. The drama of McIlroy’s near‑miss and Clark’s composure provides a compelling narrative as the tour heads into its final showdown.