Wyndham Clark managed to recover from a five‑shot deficit and clinch a dramatic three‑stroke win over Rory McIlroy at the BMW Championship, one of the marquee events on the PGA Tour. The final round at Bellerive Country Club turned into a roller‑coaster affair, with Clark’s early dominance evaporating after a string of bogeys, only for him to rally in the closing holes and finish at 17‑under‑par, securing his third Tour victory of the season. At the start of Sunday’s round, Clark held a comfortable lead after his overnight round, but the advantage vanished quickly. He bogeyed three of his first ten holes, allowing McIlroy and the rest of the field to surge back into contention.
The Irishman responded with a flurry of birdies, stringing together three birdies over a four‑hole stretch around the turn. By the time they reached the midpoint of the round, McIlroy had caught up, and the two were dead‑locked heading into the final stretch. Clark’s partner on the course, meanwhile, produced a spectacular finish, delivering three consecutive birdies to seal the win. A steady 70‑par round proved sufficient for Clark to end the tournament at 17 under, adding a third victory to his résumé that already includes the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the U.S.
Open. Patrick Cantlay finished solo second, guaranteeing his place in next week’s season‑ending Tour Championship. McIlroy, who was tied for the lead with three holes remaining, faltered on the penultimate hole, making a bogey that dropped him to four strokes behind the eventual champion. Gary Woodland, Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup shared fourth place after solid performances.
The morning’s drama began when Clark’s overnight lead was slashed by two strokes on the first hole. He three‑putted from 65 feet for a bogey, while McIlroy birdied from 10 feet, instantly narrowing the gap.
On the fourth, McIlroy saved par with a clutch seven‑foot putt, avoiding a double‑bogey that could have further widened the margin. Woodland, playing two groups ahead, posted three birdies in his first five holes, briefly pulling within two strokes of the leader.
Clark’s troubles continued on the par‑three sixth, where a clumsy chip from just off the green resulted in a bogey. Woodland responded by birdieing the par‑five eighth, but then made a costly mistake by topping his tee shot into water on the ninth, losing momentum.
McIlroy kept the pressure on, making a two‑putt birdie on the eighth and gaining a shot on the ninth to move within two strokes of the lead at the turn. He then birdied the 11th, tying Clark after the latter had begun his back nine with a bogey.
Cantlay also briefly shared the top spot before a double‑bogey on the 11th sent him sliding down the leaderboard. With three holes to play, Clark and McIlroy were still dead‑locked. The champion, however, went birdie‑free for most of the day until he seized a 15‑foot birdie putt on the 16th.
He followed that up with another birdie on the par‑five 17th after McIlroy struggled from bunker to bunker and made a bogey, extending Clark’s lead. Cantlay fought back, birdieing each of his final three holes to set a clubhouse target of 14‑under. Clark answered with a 15‑foot birdie on the 18th, cementing a five‑stroke margin of victory and marking his fifth PGA Tour win overall. After the round, Cantlay reflected on his performance, saying, “I would have loved to run away with it, but it was great to feel the pressure and see my game respond.
It proves I’m among the best in the world. Three wins this season is my best year yet after a very tough previous year, and I’m thrilled with where I am now.” McIlroy, meanwhile, admitted he is still working on his swing and overall game, noting, “I’m not completely satisfied with my swing or my overall game right now, so I have to keep grinding. It’s reassuring to know that even when I’m not feeling 100 percent, I can still piece things together, stay in contention, and give myself a chance to win.” Collin Morikawa produced a spectacular eagle on the par‑five 17th but finished with a bogey on the 18th, ending the tournament at 12‑under alongside Woodland and Gotterup, who posted a final‑round 69. Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre also made a statement, carding a five‑under 65 to climb to a tie for seventh place.
The PGA Tour season now builds toward its climax at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, where only the top 30 players in the FedExCup standings will compete for the $10 million first prize and the coveted FedExCup trophy. Fans can follow the final four rounds live on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning Thursday at 5 p.m.
on Sky Sports Golf, or stream without a contract via NOW. The race for the FedExCup remains wide open, and the drama that unfolded at Bellerive suggests the final showdown will be just as thrilling.