Until earlier this month, Rory McIlroy’s most recent major championship victory had come at the 2014 PGA Championship, with the Northern Irishman holding off Phil Mickelson at Valhalla.
Of course, some are now wondering whether Rory McIlroy could realistically win all four major titles in the same year after his victory at The Masters. He has previously proven that he can win back to back majors.
McIlroy finished 2014 by winning The Open Championship and the PGA Championship. It took his tally to four major titles, and it appeared inevitable that he would at least double that tally in the years to come.
McIlroy recovered from making two bogeys in his first six holes in the final round at Valhalla. An eagle on the 10th hole was crucial as he went on to retake the lead later on in the back nine. And a birdie on the penultimate hole allowed him to put one hand on the trophy.
When Rory McIlroy lauded Phil Mickelson for great sportsmanship
However, darkness threatened to delay his coronation – and led to some controversy in the tournament’s final moments.
McIlroy and playing partner Bernd Wiesberger arrived at the 18th tee while Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler were about to hit their own tee shots on the final hole.
Despite still having an outside chance of taking the tournament to a playoff, Mickelson and Fowler agreed to let McIlroy and Wiesberger play alongside them, with the group in front then finishing up on the green before leaving the stage clear.
It ensured that McIlroy could make the par he needed to win by one over Mickelson. But there was some debate over whether Mickelson and Fowler should have helped McIlroy out in the first place.
With that, McIlroy was full of praise for the pair.
“It was actually‑‑ I suggested we just play off it before, but Bernd Wiesberger said why don’t we hit our drives and they go hit up their second shots. So it just makes it, at least we don’t finish together but saves a little bit of time. It was a classy move for those guys to do that. They could have had us standing and wait on the 18th tee while it was getting dark. It was great sportsmanship and shows the great character of those two guys and I’m glad they did it,” he said.
How Rickie Fowler reacted to the controversial end to the 2014 PGA Championship
Perhaps the story would have been different had the three men been tied for the lead as they teed off on the 72nd hole.
Fowler managed to get to 15 under par – one off the eventual winning score – inside the first 10 holes of the final round, before making a bogey on the 14th. Meanwhile, Mickelson’s birdie on the last would take him to 15 under for solo second.
But McIlroy very nearly found the hazard off the 18th tee. Had he done so, it would have made the situation very interesting. He would have likely faced a fight just to make a playoff.
Nevertheless, Fowler, while somewhat confused, suggested that their group made the right decision.
“We were cool with hitting the tee shot. We weren’t expecting the approach shots. Typically if it’s getting dark and they are going to below the horn, you at least get the guys off the tee andit gives them the opportunity to play. We weren’t expecting the approach shots. So however you look at it. It is what it is,” he said.
“Obviously Rory played great this week, and he’s been a deserving champion last three tournaments. He’s playing quite good right now. Best player in the world, hands down. We’ll see if we can sneak one away from him at some point.”
Fowler’s comments are interesting given that, until earlier this month, the only man of the three who had won a major title since that day in Kentucky 11 years ago was Mickelson.
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