Rory rallies to win record 4th Wells Fargo title

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Rory McIlroy has a full head of steam heading into the PGA Championship.

McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship for a record fourth time on Sunday, with another dominant performance at Quail Hollow, easily overcoming a two-stroke deficit to beat Xander Schauffele by five shots.

No other player has won the event more than twice.

McIlroy closed with a 6-under 65, playing the final 11 holes in 6 under even with a double bogey on the 18th hole. He finished at 17-under 267 after posting four straight rounds in the 60s, and won his second straight PGA Tour event after teaming with Shane Lowry to take the Zurich Classic two weeks ago in New Orleans.

That should give McIlroy plenty of momentum heading to Kentucky for the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, the site of his last major win 10 years ago.

"I really got some confidence," McIlroy said. "My golf swing feels a lot more comfortable than it has. So, going to a venue next week where I've won, it feels like the stars are aligning a little bit. But, I've got a lot of golf to play and a lot of great players to try and beat next week. I'm going into the next major of the year feeling really good about myself."

Schauffele shot 71.

McIlroy trailed by two after Schauffele made an eagle on the par-5 seventh, but the world's second-ranked player quickly shifted into another gear.

The star from Northern Ireland pulled even with birdies on holes 8 and 9, and then made a 33-foot eagle putt on the 10th for his first lead of the tournament after Schauffele settled for birdie.

Schauffele's bogey on 12 gave McIlroy more breathing room.

McIlroy then essentially sealed the win on 13, when he made birdie and Schauffele missed another putt for bogey, resulting in a four-shot advantage.

But McIlroy wasn't done.

He made another birdie on 14 and then punctuated the victory by chipping in from the sand for another eagle on hole 15 to move to 19 under, completing a remarkable stretch of playing eight holes on 8-under par.

"He's Rory McIlroy, you know?" Schauffele said. "He hits it 350 yards in the air downwind, and he has shorter clubs into firm greens than anyone else. When he's on, he's on. Hats off to him for winning. He played unbelievably well."

At that point, the only question was if McIlroy could match his own course record of 61 and tournament record of 21 under.

He didn't, but he managed a smile when he blew his second shot on hole 18 over the green and into the water and had to take a drop.

He tapped in for a double bogey victory as the crowd chanted his name.

"I birdied 9, and then I just went on a run that, for whatever reason, I'm able to go on at this golf course," McIlroy said. "Quail Hollow, and Charlotte in general, has been really good to me over my career, and this is just another great day to add to all the rest of them."

McIlroy's finish was reminiscent of 2010, when he carded six straight 3s en route to a final round 62, beating Phil Mickelson for his first career PGA Tour win. He also won the event in 2015 and 2021.

McIlroy has long called Quail Hollow one of his favorite courses, because it allows for him to take advantage of his length off the tee. But, it was his putting that won him the 26th career PGA Tour title on Sunday.

He needed just 25 putts, making five longer than 10 feet.

For Schauffele, it was a disappointing end to a strong week.

He led by four shots after 36 holes, but finished runner-up for the second straight year and saw his winless drought stretch to 39 tournaments — a streak dating back to 2022.

An Byeong-hun was third at 9 under, and Jason Day and Im Sungjae tied for fourth at 6 under.

McIlroy thanked his mother Rosie, who was in Florida, after the Mother's Day victory.

"My mom's amazing," McIlroy said. "I think most people know my dad, but my mom is like the rock, or the gel, that holds our family together, she always has been. I said this last night, I'm probably a lot more like my dad than my mom, but I wish I was a little more like my mom at times."

Agencies via Xinhua