Rory McIlroy openly acknowledged that his game still falls short of his own expectations as the season draws to a close with the Tour Championship, even though he came agonisingly close to clinching a win at the BMW Championship. In his own words, McIlroy said his swing feels "so far away" from the level he knows it should be after a disappointing performance at the FedEx St.
Jude Championship, where he finished 66th out of a 68‑player field. By contrast, he produced a markedly better showing in St. Louis, suggesting that his form is beginning to turn a corner.
At Bellerive Country Club, the world number two birdied three of the final four holes in his third round, pulling within five strokes of the leader, Wyndham Clark. That surge set up a Sunday showdown with the US Open champion, and McIlroy managed to draw level with Clark on the final day. Despite staying 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 triumph of the season. "I'm closer [with my game] than I was at the start of the week," McIlroy admitted after the round.
"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. 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." McIlroy capitalised on a two‑shot swing on the opening hole and recovered from bogeys on the fourth and seventh holes, then rattled off three birdies over a four‑hole stretch beginning at the eighth.
This burst of scoring brought him level with Clark after the American had posted a three‑over score through the first ten holes. The momentum shifted when Clark responded with a 15‑foot birdie on the 16th and followed it with a two‑shot swing on the par‑five 17th, making another birdie as McIlroy dropped a shot. Clark then added a final birdie on the 18th to stretch his winning margin over Patrick Cantlay. "I felt like most of my game held up today," McIlroy said in the post‑round interview.
"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 and I couldn't." When the two players reached the par‑five 17th, both found the rough off the tee.
Clark elected to lay up, a conservative play that set him up for a birdie, while McIlroy chose a more aggressive line, sending his ball from bunker to bunker before ultimately making a bogey that closed his tournament. Reflecting on that decision, McIlroy said, "I tried to get it up a bit too far. 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 heads 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 coveted $10 million first prize and the season‑long title. McIlroy's performance, while falling short of victory, demonstrates that his game still possesses the capacity to contend, especially as he continues to refine his swing and address the technical issues that have been weighing on his confidence. Looking ahead, McIlroy will aim to build on the positives from his BMW Championship run as he prepares for East Lake.
The Tour Championship will test not only his shot‑making ability but also his mental resilience, as the pressure of the FedExCup points race reaches its zenith. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if the Northern Irish star can translate his late‑round surges into a breakthrough performance that could finally bring him the season‑ending title he has been chasing for years. For viewers interested in following the final stretch of the PGA Tour, live coverage of all four rounds of the Tour Championship will be available on Sky Sports Golf, beginning Thursday at 5 pm.
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