Rory McIlroy entered the final round of the BMW Championship in the final group alongside Wyndham Clark, with the two-time U.S. Open champion holding a five-shot advantage at Bellerive Country Club. McIlroy had moved into contention after a strong third round and faced an opportunity to challenge for another PGA Tour victory.
The final round produced a tense battle between the two players. McIlroy eventually pulled level with Clark on the back nine, while Patrick Cantlay also remained in contention.
Clark then separated himself with a decisive closing stretch to secure the BMW Championship and finish three shots ahead of Cantlay, with McIlroy taking third at 13-under.
Rory McIlroy Opens Up After BMW Championship Defeat
McIlroy said he could not be overly disappointed after falling short because he felt his overall game was not yet at the level required to expect a victory.
“I don’t think I can be too disappointed. I’m probably not playing well enough to be disappointed that I didn’t win,” McIlroy told Mark Immelman of CBS Sports after the final round of the BMW Championship.
The result nevertheless represented a significant step from the previous week, when McIlroy finished 66th at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
At Bellerive, he gave himself a genuine chance to win despite remaining unhappy with parts of his swing and overall game.
“I had my chances on the back nine and started to hit some good shots and had a lot of good putts that didn’t go in,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy had several opportunities during the closing holes but could not convert them.
He later acknowledged that he felt he needed to get ahead of Clark to apply pressure, but he was unable to do so.
The third-place finish leaves McIlroy with encouragement heading into the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake, where he will have another chance to contend for the FedEx Cup.
Wyndham Clark Strengthens Player of the Year Case
GettyWyndham Clark of the United States
McIlroy also gave credit to Clark for responding when the tournament was on the line. After the players were tied during the closing stretch, Clark made a crucial birdie on the 16th hole.
Clark hit a 5-iron to set up the birdie and converted from just outside 15 feet. McIlroy’s attempt from a similar distance to remain tied missed, making the hole a major turning point.
“Wyndham, you know, he stepped up when he needed to. The birdie on 16 was huge,” McIlroy said. “And then, yeah, the way he played the last three holes, he showed a lot of character there.”
Clark followed the 16th-hole birdie with two more birdies to close out the tournament. The victory was his third PGA Tour win of the season and came after his U.S. Open triumph at Shinnecock Hills.
The result also strengthened Clark’s position in the PGA Tour Player of the Year discussion.
His season now includes a major championship and a FedExCup Playoffs victory, putting him firmly into the conversation.
For McIlroy, the BMW Championship offered a chance to test his game against one of the season’s leading players.
Although he could not finish the job, his challenge at Bellerive gives him another opportunity to build momentum before East Lake.
Rory McIlroy Reveals Feelings After Falling Short at BMW Championship