2021 Wentworth champion Billy Horschel eagles par-five 18th to secure second BMW PGA Championship win; Rory McIlroy left to contemplate yet another agonising near miss this season after missing out at the Irish Open last week and, most notably, in his bid for a fifth major at the US Open
Monday 23 September 2024 06:12, UK
Billy Horschel eagled the 18th to beat Rory McIlroy in a thrilling play-off finish to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
McIlroy, Horschel and Thriston Lawrence all finished tied at the top of the leaderboard on 20 under, with the latter knocked out of contention after finding the water during the first run down 18 in the resulting play-off.
As they again replayed the par-five, McIlroy and Horschel this time both found the green in two, but it was the American and 2021 champion who clinched a second victory when holing his long putt for eagle.
McIlroy is left to contemplate yet another near miss, having been beaten in agonising fashion on numerous occasions this season - including at the Irish Open last week and, most notably, when faltering down the stretch in his pursuit of a fifth major at the US Open.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, the world No 3 said: "Last week was a tough one. This one, I leave with my head held high with the way I played the last hole trying to make three - I mean, I played the play-off holes perfectly.
"Two weeks in a row I've played well, just not quite well enough. But I'm happy with where my game is and happy where it's trending.
"It just shows the standard out here. If you slip up just a little bit or don't make a birdie on a crucial hole, someone is always waiting to take advantage of that."
McIlroy had earlier tied Lawrence for the lead on 20 under when holing a stunning 40-footer for eagle at the 17th, but he failed to find the birdie finish needed up 18 that would have seen him win outright and avoid the need for a play-off.
"I had my chance in regulation," he added. "I had a really awkward yardage for my second shot, tried to turn a four-iron over and I was lucky that it didn't go in the water.
"I still had an up-and-down to win in regulation but I was pretty lucky the ball stayed up and I could make par to get into the play-off."
While McIlroy failed to clinch victory in regulation, Horschel secured a birdie of his own at 18 to see him join McIlroy and Lawrence in a three-way play-off.
There, Lawrence would slice his drive wide right and later find the water to take the South African out of contention, while McIlroy and Horschel left themselves testing putts for birdie, which both would sink - the former's slightly longer from around eight feet - to force them down 18 once more, where Horschel would ultimately come up clutch.
"My heart was pounding on the last couple shots, the last couple holes, and especially in the play-off, but it's always fun being in those situations," Horschel said after clinching victory.
"That's what we work so hard for, and that's what I've always wanted to be, in situations like that, going against the best players in the world and hopefully be able to come out on top on the day.
"I think the world of him [McIlroy]. I think he's the best player in our generation.
"He's done so much for the game. You see the support he has here; you see the support he has around the world. He has the most crowds and supporters outside of Tiger Woods.
"I do feel for him a little bit that it was another opportunity that he wasn't able to get it done but, at the same time, to battle him head-to-head and with other guys on the last play-off hole, I wouldn't want it any other way."
Starting the day three back from overnight leader Matteo Manassero, McIlroy's final round failed to ignite for a large stretch that took in seven-straight pars after back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth had followed an early bogey at two.
The 2014 champion would finally spark into life with a second birdie in the space of three holes at the 14th to move to within one of new leader Lawrence, who had started his day in stunning fashion when chipping in for birdie on the first two holes.
A fourth birdie in the space of six holes for the South African at the 16th pushed him two clear of McIlroy again, though it caused him to play cautiously down the stretch as he parred 17 and 18 to finish and found himself in a play-off.
Horschel, whose challenge appeared to have faded with a bogey at 15, joined McIlroy in carding a strong finish, birdieing the final two holes to make up the deficit on Lawrence.
Manassero, meanwhile, saw his bid for a second Wentworth title - and first for 11 years - fade with a disappointing 73 to finish in a tie for fourth at 17 under alongside Aaron Rai and Matthew Baldwin.
Earlier, Rai had surged up the leaderboard when making five birdies on the front nine, going out in 30, but the Englishman - who finished tied for second a year ago - failed to replicate that run when coming home in an even-par 37, including a bogey finish at 18.
Fellow home hopeful Baldwin, who led the tournament after days one and two, failed to truly threaten on the final day but ended his fine week on a high with a closing birdie at the 18th to finish.
One stroke further back on 16 under, Antoine Rozner, Ugo Coussaud and Niklas Norgaard secured top-10 placings, the latter having carded the joint-low round of the day with Matt Wallace (-12), an eight-under 64.
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