Rory McIlroy made two late birdies amid the wild theatrics at The Players Championship and closed with a 2-under 70 to win the next best thing to a major.
McIlroy could not afford to make a mistake over the final hour because of 48-year-old Jim Furyk, who nearly pulled off a stunner. Furyk capped off a 67 with a shot so good into the 18th that he started walking when he hit it.
It plopped down 3 feet from the hole for a birdie to take the lead. But not for long.
McIlroy, one of eight players to have at least a share of the lead in the final round, was coming off a bogey on the 14th to fall behind and was in trouble with a tee shot that found a bunker right of the fairway.
But he responded in emphatic fashion and held his nerve to finish at 16-under to win The Players on his 10th try.
But as good as McIlroy’s win was, it was a fellow pro who stole the headlines on the day after a costly mistake. Spanish golfer Jon Rahm held the lead entering the final day’s play and sat in a tie for the lead on the 11th hole of the final round.
But after landing in the bunker, he went against the advice of his caddie.
Adam Hayes advised Rahm to lay it up, but Rahm shunned the advice and chose to go for the green. He then watched his shot land straight in the water.
“I think this will go down in history as the most baffling decision ever struck here at this event,” commentator Brandel Chamblee said.
As soon as Rahm decided he was going to go for it, you could see what Hayes thought of the decision, and ultimately it proved to be advice he should have listened to.
The bizarre choice by Rahm saw him end with a bogey on the 11th hole, and it clearly affected his mindset as he tumbled down the leaderboard.
Known for having a temper, the 24-year-old never settled and went on to bogey the 15th before a double-bogey on 17 saw him finish in a tie for 12th place.
Of course, it’s impossible to know if he would’ve won the trophy had he taken his caddie’s advice, but it is clear the decision to shun him began the downward spiral.
The resulting fall saw Rahm walk away with a paycheck of $253,125 — a far, far cry from the monster pay pack McIlroy was handed.
McIlroy’s win earns him a staggering $2.2 million, meaning Rahm’s choice to not listen to his caddie cost him $2 million. Ouch.
Rahm did his best Tin Cup impersonation as he threw away a chance to claim the trophy. Guaranteed next time he’ll listen to his caddie’s advice.
— With AP
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