McIlroy holds off Furyk to take Players
McIlroy celebrated Saint Patrick's Day with a one-shot victory at The Players Championship on Sunday
MIAMI (AFP) - Rory McIlroy celebrated Saint Patrick s Day with a one-shot victory at The Players Championship on Sunday, firing a two-under-par final round 70 to claim his first title of 2019.
The 29-year-old Northern Irishman overcame a shaky start at TPC Sawgrass to card six birdies against two bogeys and a double-bogey to finish one clear of US veteran Jim Furyk on 16 under.
Furyk had surged into contention with a closing 67, a round which included an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys on the challenging Stadium Course layout.
The win earned McIlroy a $2.25 million winner s cheque and could not have been better timed as he prepares for The Masters at Augusta next month where he is aiming to complete a career grand slam.
It was another battling performance by McIlroy, who was able to regain his composure at several key moments on Sunday to stay in the hunt.
A bogey on the 14th had dropped McIlroy adrift of the lead, but he fought back with birdies on the 15th and 16th to regain a one-shot lead with two to play.
The 29-year-old four-time major winner then finished with two pars to close out and seal his 15th US PGA Tour title.
McIlroy said his experience on the tour this year -- where he has posted five top-10 finishes but has been unable to get over the line -- had helped him seal victory.
"I think all those experiences I had starting the year helped," McIlroy said after his win.
"I felt more and more confident each time. I just stayed as patient as I possibly could.
"I hoped that if I just stayed patient enough and waited my turn things would work out and I m glad they have."
Furyk meanwhile had faced an agonising wait to see if he had done enough for victory after completing his five-under-par round.
The 48-year-old US Ryder Cup captain produced two birdies in his final three holes to close on 15 under.
The highlight was a magnificent birdie on the 18th, when he drilled his second from the fairway 172 yards to within three feet of the pin for a simple tap-in.
England s Eddie Pepperell and Venezuela s Jhonattan Vegas finished tied for third on 14 under after both closing with 66s.
Pepperell s round included a sensational, curling 50-foot birdie putt on the island green on the 17th which had given him a fleeting share of the lead.
Vegas managed to outshine Pepperell s stunning effort on the 17th, rolling in a gargantuan 70-foot putt for birdie.
Vegas and Pepperell finished one clear of Dustin Johnson, Tommy Fleetwood and Brandt Snedeker, who shared fifth on 13 under.
But it was a disappointing final round for Spain s Jon Rahm, who had taken a one-shot lead into Sunday s fourth round.
Rahm closed with a four-over-par 76 to finish in a tie for 12th place on 11 under, five adrift of McIlroy.
Meanwhile former world number Tiger Woods rounded out his week with a solid three-under-par 69 which left him six under for the tournament.
Woods challenge at the Players unravelled during Friday s second round, when a quadruple bogey seven at the 17th checked his momentum.
"I was close to getting over the hurdle and getting things rolling, and unfortunately I made a seven over at 17 (on Friday)," said Woods.
"I m excited the way I drove it. I drove the ball well this week," added Woods, whose next outing will come at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from March 27-31 at Austin, Texas.
