Rory McIlroy won the Canadian Open on Sunday and gave the PGA Tour a strong response to the start of the LIV Golf Invitational, funded by Saudi Arabia, closing with an 8 under (62) to win a wild race until ending with Justin Thomas and Tony. Finau.
Key points:
- Rory McIlroy won the Canadian Open in 2019, only for the next two annual events to be canceled
- He finished with 19 minus (261) for a two-time victory over Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.
- McIlroy commented that he had “21 PGA Tour wins, one more than anyone else”
McIlroy had his first title defense on the PGA Tour, though he should have expected it.
He won the fourth oldest national golf open in 2019 at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, only because the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the next two annual competitions.
Thomas pushed him to the end at St George’s Golf and Country Club, and the tournament effectively ended in hole 17.
McIlroy and Thomas were tied and raw before McIlroy touched a wedge that unfolded within reach, while Thomas missed a 10-foot putt, a two-shot swing.
Thomas closed with a pair of bogeys and still shot 64, while McIlroy finished with 19 minus (261) for a two-stroke victory.
Finau made a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 64 to finish second alone, with Thomas third at 14 less.
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Justin Rose matched the tournament and course record with a 60, including three eagles and three bogeys, to tie for fourth place with Sam Burns (65), 14 less.
The Canadian audience was huge as it had stayed away since 2019, and thousands of people surrounded the 18th green when the McIlroy, Thomas and Finau trio finished.
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McIlroy was one of the strongest opponents in the LIV Golf series and spoke out against money paid to players like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.
Greg Norman, who runs LIV Golf, told The Washington Post that McIlroy had been “brainwashed” by the PGA Tour.
The win was McIlroy’s second this season, adding to his Las Vegas victory last October in the CJ Cup.
He won the PGA Tour for the 21st time.
“This is a day I will remember for a long time,” McIlroy said, “21 PGA Tour victories, one more than anyone else.”
It was an excavation at Norman, who won 20 race tours.
Rose was 11 below with three holes to play.
He made a bogey on the 16th, hit 2 feet over 17 for birdie, then went over the green at 18 and missed an 18-foot putt.
Carl Pettersson also shot 60 at St George’s in his 2010 victory.
Corey Conners was the best Canadian, shooting a 62 to finish sixth at 12 less.
AP
Posted 55 minutes ago 55 minutes ago dig. June 12, 2022 at 11:27 pm, updated 47 minutes ago 47 minutes ago dig. June 12, 2022 at 11:35 p.m.