Rory McIlroy Fires 65 to Win Deutsche Bank Championship

Rory McIlroy’s win at the Deutsche Bank Championship moves him to fourth place in the FedEx Cup.

For the second time in his career, Rory McIlroy is a winner in the Bay State. The 27-year-old torched TPC Boston for a 65 on Labor Day, catapulting him past 54-hole leader Paul Casey and into the winner’s circle at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

McIlroy was consistent in the final round, squaring just one bogey on the day. The Ulsterman charged into the lead thanks to five birdies on the front nine, but he slowed down on the back, parring six of the first seven holes. A dropped shot on 17 created some drama — Casey, playing two groups behind, was just one back as McIlroy stood over the 18th tee — but a birdie on the last provided McIlroy with a cushion. His 65 tied him with Adam Scott for the low round of the day.

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With the win, McIlroy goes from 38th place in the FedEx Cup all the way up to fourth, locking up his spot in the Tour Championship. He also moves to No. 3 in the world ranking — he was fifth heading into the week, his lowest position in more than two years.

It should also put an end to some of the criticism McIlroy has been facing over the last few months. No, a postseason victory can’t completely make up for his failure to get the job done at the majors this summer, but it was still his first PGA Tour win in nearly sixteen months. He had to beat out most of the world’s top 50, so he has plenty to be proud of as the season winds down.

While McIlroy enjoyed a dream final round, it was more of a nightmare for Casey. The Englishman struggled to gain momentum throughout the day, ending up with a two-over 73 — an eight-shot swing with McIlroy. His solo second was good enough to book his flight to Atlanta, but the missed opportunity has to hurt.

Sep 5, 2016; Norton, MA, USA; Paul Casey hits his tee shot on the 5th hole during the final round of the 2016 Deutsche Bank Championship golf tournament at TPC of Boston. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /

Reigning PGA Champion Jimmy Walker was the bronze finisher, closing with a 70 to hold steady on the leaderboard. The Baylor product went birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie over his final five holes to cap a solid round, one that was ultimately good enough to lock up his spot at East Lake.

Scott finished alone in fourth place at 11-under, while Patrick Reed, Fabian Gomez and James Hahn tied for fifth at 10-under. Reed, the winner of The Barclays, leads the FedEx Cup by more than 500 points heading into the third leg of the postseason.

A large group of players tied for eighth at nine-under, rounding out the top 10: Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen, Ryan Moore, Kevin Chappell, Jason Kokrak, Billy Hurley III and David Hearn.

World No. 1 Jason Day continued his climb up the leaderboard, closing with a 67 en route to a tie for 15th. Defending champion Rickie Fowler struggled during the final round, shooting a 72 to fall into a tie for 46th.

The PGA Tour will next head to Indiana for the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club. There, Rory McIlroy will attempt to deliver a repeat performance of his 2012 playoff run, when he became the first player to win the Deutsche Bank and BMW in the same year. If his Labor Day round serves as any indication, we could be in for a serious case of déjà vu by the end of this week.

Next: BMW Championship Power Rankings

What was your favorite moment from Rory McIlroy’s Deutsche Bank win? Let us know in the comments, and keep it here at Pro Golf Now for more FedEx Cup updates.

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