Rory McIlroy reentered the PGA Tour winner’s circle with a convincing two-shot win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Northern Irishman outlasted 2019 Open winner Shane Lowry by shooting a final round 66 to reach 21-under. It was the second-lowest winning score in the tournament, with Brandt Snedeker winning at 22-under in 2013. It was also the third time McIlroy has won on his season debut on the PGA Tour in his illustrious career.
McIlroy moves up to third in the FedEx Cup with his 27th PGA Tour win in his 258th start. It also moves him to 22nd in the all-time wins list on the PGA Tour.
The 27th win for Rory is five more than any other player since 2010 and his eighth consecutive season with a win on tour – the longest active streak. And whilst it highlights his consistency and longevity in remaining at the top of the sport, the World Number Three is still yearning to get that elusive fifth major.
Could 2025 be the year the drought ends? This win will only heighten expectations going into Augusta in April, but all the signs are promising.
Going into the final round one shot back of Sepp Straka with a bunched leaderboard, McIlroy lifted and separated on Sunday, hitting the front with two birdies on the opening seven holes. His only bogey of the round came on the eighth hole, but after that, he never looked back and came home in 31 to claim the title.
This included an astonishing eagle on the par-five 14th, a hole Rory had obliterated in all three rounds he played at Pebble.
A high, towering 7-iron from just over 200 yards downwind enabled McIlroy to hold the green before draining the 25-footer for an eagle. The two shots into the green seemed to be of a calibre only he is capable of. When Rory is in that mood, playing with such freedom and elegance, it is nigh on impossible to beat him.
Ostensibly, it was a very well-rounded week for McIlroy, who was firing on all cylinders on his way to finishing seventh in putting for the week whilst gaining an incredible 6.17 strokes off the tee.
Finishing in second on his own, Shane Lowry recovered from a messy front nine to push Rory on the closing stretch. Shane made five birdies on the back nine, leading to a solo second and a Europe one, two, three. England’s Justin Rose made eagle at 18, holing out from just off the green with a fairway metal to gain a share of third place.
Through three rounds this week, good friends Lowry and McIlroy shot 66, 70, and 65, including an ace on Thursday (Rory at Spyglass, Shane at Pebble). The pair also had mirroring scrambling and GIR stats.
Embed from Getty ImagesSaturday’s round three at Pebble Beach was made for intriguing viewing, with blustery winds mixed with rain on the west coast.
Whilst others faltered, Rory, who has struggled in windy conditions, put on an awe-inspiring display en route to a seven-under 65 with no dropped shots. He went 8-for-8 scrambling and exhibited an ability to fly shots down along the costal holes with winds coming off the Pacific.
It forced those who witnessed to think differently bout their perception of McIlroy only playing well when conditions are optimal. Perhaps another sign of things to come, but Rory’s recent joy at the US Open possibly already portended his elevated skillset of executing shots even in the most brutal of conditions, the makings of a world-class player.
McIlroy spoke about trying to emulate Scottie’s patience during rounds, attributing his play on Saturday in testing conditions to World Number One’s ability to pick his moments and miss in the right spots.
The 35-year-old’s win comes somewhat as a surprise. His history at Pebble is far from admirable. He missed the cut at the US Open in 2010 and again at the AT&T event in 2018 before filing a relatively non-competitive T9 when Gary Woodland was victorious at the 2019 US Open.
In his fifth appearance, however, after a T66 last year in the newly acclaimed signature event, he looked like a different player, with a new outlook and an esteemed game for his first win in the state of California in 10 years.
Since the Masters last year, Rory has quietly been in decent form, notching his fourth win in that period, alongside 12 top fives and just one missed cut.
Returning to the start of 2020, McIlroy is now tied with Rahm on 12 worldwide wins, only behind Scheffler on 17.
Talking of Scottie, in his first start since injuring his hand making Ravioli during Christmas, he was steady on his way to a T9 finish, just six back of McIlroy.
Embed from Getty ImagesScottie gained more than two strokes on the field with his approach play in rounds one and three. Over the last four seasons, Scottie has 57 PGA rounds with at least two strokes gained approach, obviously the most of any player.
One of the best players in the world contending and winning at the Tour’s first actual big tournament of 2025 was a must to try and attract some viewership from casual fans. The visually appealing prospect of Pebble Beach on TV and in person makes for some incredible drone shots, with the spectacle of McIlroy being near the top of his game a good precedent for the year ahead.
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