McIlroy takes a break before setting sights on Ryder Cup

Rory McIlroy admitted he was looking forward to seeing the back of his golf clubs for a few days after failing to land a £7m jackpot in Atlanta.
Bill Horschel poses with both trophies after winning the Tour Championship golf tournament and The FedEX Cup in Atlanta.Bill Horschel poses with both trophies after winning the Tour Championship golf tournament and The FedEX Cup in Atlanta.
Bill Horschel poses with both trophies after winning the Tour Championship golf tournament and The FedEX Cup in Atlanta.

Victory in the Tour Championship would have seen McIlroy also win the overall FedEx Cup title and enjoy an amazing payday, but the world No 1 struggled to a closing 71 as playing partner Billy Horschel won both prizes instead.

McIlroy and Horschel started the day tied for the lead but the Northern Irishman’s chances suffered a blow when he found water on the sixth to double bogey, and he also dropped shots on the ninth, 10th and 11th.

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“I was making bad swings at the wrong time and getting punished for them,” said McIlroy.

“When Billy was making bogey on 10 I thought I had a decent chance and then I three-putted there for the second day in a row and I felt like any chance I had to win the golf tournament went.”

Asked about his season overall, McIlroy added: “To win two majors, my first WGC event and give it a real good run in these FedEx events, I’m really proud of myself the way I hung in there and dug deep the last few weeks.

“When I look back on the year as a whole, it’s been my best year to date so I can’t complain.”

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The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles from September 26-28 looms large and McIlroy added: “I’m excited about it. I’m excited to take a few days off, to be honest, and then I will gear up for the Ryder Cup.

“Right now, I just want to get a bit of rest and not see my golf clubs for a few days. I want to be itching to get back on the range at the end of the week.”

Horschel will not be in the USA team at Gleneagles as his brilliant run came after Tom Watson had chosen his three wild cards. He missed the cut in the first play-off event but then finished runner-up in the Deutsche Bank Championship and won the BMW Championship.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Horschel, 27, whose closing 68 gave him a three-shot win over McIlroy and Jim Furyk, who was tied for the lead with three holes remaining but bogeyed the 17th and 18th after Horschel reclaimed the lead with a birdie on the 15th.

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“I remember flying home (after The Barclays) and talking to my wife. She said you’re probably just waiting until the season is over because it hasn’t been a great year and I sort of was, but, at the same time, I knew my game was in the right shape and I just needed to get out of my own way, allow my golf game to show and it has showed the last three weeks.”

Horschel’s wife Brittany was not in Atlanta as she prepares to give birth to their daughter at the end of the month, Horschel adding at the trophy presentation: “Unfortunately, she has not been at any of my three wins but there are many more down the road she will be at and our daughter Skylar, too.”

Horschel was two clear after a front nine of 33 and after Furyk drew level with a birdie on the 15th, Horschel edged ahead once more with his own birdie on the par five.

It was the 16th which proved crucial in deciding the outcome, Horschel holing from 30 feet for an unlikely par after finding trouble off the tee and Furyk then dropping a shot on the 17th.

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Furyk also three-putted the last to allow Horschel to fully enjoy his brilliant achievements over the last three weeks.

A closing 68 saw Horschel finish 11 under par, three shots ahead of Furyk and McIlroy, with Justin Rose, Chris Kirk and Jason Day a shot further back.

Rose twice got within two shots of the lead on the back nine but bogeyed the 13th and 17th at crucial moments on his way to a closing 69.

Two-time major winner Greg Norman is expected to make a “full, speedy recovery” after injuring his left arm in a chainsaw accident over the weekend.

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The 59-year-old Australian underwent surgery in a Florida hospital to repair “some minor nerve damage”, and specialists predict there will be no permanent ill-effects.

Leading positions in the ‘Race to Dubai’: 1 R McIlroy (NIrl) 4,046,488; 2 S Garcia (Spa) 1,798,313; 3 J Donaldson (Wal) 1,402,202; 4 T Bjorn (Den) 1,401,456; 5 H Stenson (Swe) 1,336,444; 6 M Kaymer (Ger) 1,241,385; 7 J Rose (Eng) 1,188,318; 8 V Dubuisson (Fra) 1,167,332; 9 S Gallacher (Sco) 1,111,075; 10 L Oosthuizen (Rsa) 969,006; 11 C Schwartzel (Rsa) 966,438; 12 G McDowell (NIrl) 962,779; 13 T Jaidee (Tha) 891,390; 14 M Ilonen (Fin) 875,728; 15 MA Jimenez (Spa) 863,979; 16 J Luiten (Ned) 777,693; 17 S Lowry (Irl) 760,120; 18 M Warren (Sco) 675,412; 19 J Blixt (Swe) 670,332; 20 L Westwood (Eng) 661,808.

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