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Dustin Johnson

Rory McIlroy wins Tour Championship, $10 million bonus

Steve DiMeglio
USA TODAY Sports

ATLANTA — On a wild, nervous Sunday where birdies were plentiful and a hole-out eagle sent roars echoing among the trees at sun-drenched East Lake Golf Club, the season-long FedExCup fittingly needed four additional holes to decide the outcome of both the season-ending Tour Championship and the winner of the $10 million bonus.

Rory McIlroy celebrates with the FedEx Cup Trophy and the Tour Championship Trophy after the final playoff round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club.

Rory McIlroy cashed in for both.

The four-time major winner added his first FedExCup title to an impressive resumé by first shooting a sizzling 6-under-64 in regulation to gain entry into a three-man playoff. He then earned the hardware and the cash with a 14-foot birdie on the final extra hole to finally put away Ryan Moore, who was partnered with McIlroy in regulation and also shot 64.

The final putt came on the par-4 16th, where McIlroy electrified the crowd in regulation earlier in the day, when he holed his second shot for eagle from 137 yards. That’s what turned his fortunes around.

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“I knew I needed something to happen. I said to myself on the 15th tee, if I can finish with three 3s, I'll give myself a chance. I didn't quite think the eagle was going to come as soon as it did,” he said. “But when something like that happens, you have to make the most of it. The holed shots from the fairway, it is part skill, but there's an epic part of luck in there as well, and I took advantage of it and made birdie at the last (in regulation). A lot of things had to go right for me today, and they did. Everything fell into place.”

Kevin Chappell, who was tied for the lead at the start of the day with Dustin Johnson, shot 66 but still wound up in a playoff. He could have won The Tour Championship with a birdie from 23 feet on the 72nd hole, but it came up short. He fell out of the playoff when he parred the first extra hole.

Johnson let slip the tournament and the $10 million bonus by shooting a 73, the worst score of the day. He finished second in the FedExCup and earned a $3 million bonus.

McIlroy could have won both prizes with a 6-foot eagle on the first playoff hole, but his putt lipped out. He could have won on the second playoff hole, but his 17-footer for birdie fell short. He two-putted from 63 feet on the third playoff hole to stay in it. And then ended matters in the next hole.

“It was incredible,” said McIlroy, who also won the Deutsche Bank Championship, the second playoff event, and with the $1.53 million winner’s check on Sunday has won $13.81 million in the playoffs. “All I wanted to do at the start of the day was concentrate on winning The Tour Championship. I played well and Ryan played great. All credit to him. Somehow I was able to tie it up in regulation and get into the playoff.

“I played really well all week and I’m peaking at the right time. Two wins in three events is pretty nice. … I've made it no secret that it's one of the last things I feel like I had left on my golfing resumè, and I made it a big goal of mine especially after the summer had gone, to win it. So to be here and to win the FedExCup, especially where I came in (to the playoffs) in the mid-30s somewhere, to play the way I have in the last few weeks to get it done is very special.”

McIlroy will move to No. 3 in the world with the win.

Moore has been one of the hottest players on Tour since the PGA Championship, winning the John Deere Classic on Aug. 14, earning three top-10s in the playoffs and signing for more rounds in the 60s (19) than anyone on the Tour since the PGA Championship.

“Honestly, I was having a blast out there today,” Moore said. “Rory and I had a great time, really all around. It was back and forth all day. Obviously, Chappell was playing great along the way, too. So just coming down the stretch there, it was fun. It's a position I want to be in more often, and I was surprised actually how comfortable I was. ...

“I did everything I could. I hit every golf shot as good as I possibly could today. I put 100% effort into everything out there. Unfortunately today, it wasn't enough.”

Chappell pointed to a bogey-5 on the 17th hole and the 5 he took on the 72nd hole as the main reasons for his defeat.

“Played those two holes in 10. Probably not going to win too often,” he said. “I gave it all I had and got some good breaks, got some bad breaks there the last couple holes. But I'm proud of the way I fought. It just wasn't enough today.”

PHOTOS: THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

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