McIlroy survives late scare to take title

RORY McILROY moved into pole position to claim the biggest financial prize in golf – a $10 million bonus – when his win in the Deutsche Bank championship in Boston moved him to the top of the FedEx Cup rankings with just two tournaments, this week’s BMW championship and the Tour championship, remaining in the US Tour’s playoff series.

The 23-year-old Ulsterman – taking his third title of a season that has also seen him win last month’s US PGA championship and the Honda Classic earlier in the year – shot a closing round 67 for 264, 20-under-par, to claim a one-stroke win over 54-hole leader Louis Oosthuizen. The South African had an 18-feet birdie putt on the last to force a sudden-death play-off but edged the ball pass the hole.

McIlroy, who started out three shots behind Oosthuizen, made his move on the front nine with birdies on the second, third, fourth, sixth and eighth holes with only one dropped shot on the fifth. In contrast, Oosthuizen suffered a double bogey on the fourth but birdies on the 13th and 15th got him within a stroke of the world number one heading down the stretch.

“It was like survival the last few holes. I got there in the end. It’s great to get a victory in these play-offs and it sets me up in a great position going into the last two weeks,” said McIlroy, who showed resilience over the finishing holes with up-and-down par saves on the 14th (from a bunker) and 15th (from rough). Although he bogeyed the 17th, so too did Oosthuizen, and both players parred the 18th.

Although he suffered a couple of loose shots on the way home, particularly his three-wood tee shot on the 15th which travelled no more than 170 yards, McIlroy’s third win of the year on the US Tour consolidated his position atop the world rankings and moved him into the top spot on the FedEx Cup rankings in the run-down to the Tour Championship finale in three weeks time in Atlanta.

Tiger Woods, who finished third, created history of his own: he became the first player in history on the US Tour to break through the $100 million mark in career earnings. Woods closed with a 66 for 266 which gave him a first tournament in three years where he shot all four rounds in the 60s.

Phil Mickelson finished with a 66 for 270 which left him in a share of fourth with Dustin Johnson, one of those hoping to get a phone call from US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love.

Jim Furyk – another of those awaiting a possible Ryder Cup wild card pick – finished in tied-13th with Steve Stricker. “I’ve played in a bunch of past Ryder Cups. I know one day I won’t be able to play in any more. I’ll be retired, I’ll be done, and I’m hoping that day doesn’t come too soon. So I put a lot of pressure on myself,” admitted Furyk.

* Women's Home International:Ireland begin their bid today for a first Women's Home International title for eight years.

And they will be supported by a large home crowd as Cork is the venue for this three-day round-robin event. They last retained the title at Royal Porthcawl in 2004 having won it at Cruden Bay the previous year.

But the Irish are without the Maguire twins – Leona and Lisa – and will not have in their ranks either British champion Stephanie Meadow or Paula Grant, the leading Irish competitor in the recent British Women’s Open-strokeplay championship, because of the timing of the selection – Grant is in the three-strong side for the World Championships.

Ireland open their challenge today with the toughest assignment against defending champions and hot favourites England while tomorrow they play Wales and end the series on Thursday against Scotland.