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Rory McIlroy overcame a roller coaster tournament ride to beat Gary Woodland 4 and 2 in the final of the WGC Cadillac Match Play in San Francisco to become only the second world number one to hoist the Walter Hagen Trophy after Tiger Woods in 2002, 2004, and 2008.
And Englishman Danny Willett turned in his greatest performance by beating ageless veteran Jim Furyk 3 and 2 to finish third and earn enough points to have temporary membership of the USPGA tour for the rest of the season.
A huge bonus.
But McIlroy can feel well pleased with his win, despite being all over the TPC Harding Park course off the tee, having trouble with his wedges, either too long, or too short, and missing some very makeable putts, but sinking some monsters.
Go figure.
McIlroy went into the final after six rounds with 26 birdies, an eagle, and just four bogeys, compared to Woodland’s world ranking of 50 with 27 birdies, an eagle, and 16 bogeys.
But McIlroy dodged bullets against FedExCup champion Billy Horschel, Paul Casey, and Furyk.
In the three-match round robin, Horschel led 2-up with two to play, but McIlroy finished birdie-birdie to win at the 20th.
In the quarter-final against Casey, McIlroy was one down with one to play, but birdied the 18th and eventually won at the 22nd the next day.
And against Furyk in the semi, McIlroy was 1-down on the 17th tee to fire in birdie-eagle to win 1-up.
In the final, McIlroy had five birdies in the first 10 holes to lead 4-up, but the roller coaster ride struck again when he bogeyed 11, and lost the 12th to a Woodland birdie.
McIlroy 2-up,
Woodland had the perfect opportunity to win the 13th, but missed s three-foot, very makeable putt – McIlroy two up.
Woodlands bogeyed 14, conceded 16, and that was that.
John Senden (ranked 65) was the best of the five Australians, beaten 5 and 3 in the quarter-finals by Woodland.
Marc Leishman (60) was next, beaten 2 and 1 in the round of 16, again by Woodland.
But defending champion Jason Day (0-3), Adam Scott (0-3), and Matt Jones (1-2) failed to advance out of their three-match round robins into the sudden-death rounds.
This week is The Players at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Verdra, rated the fifth major, with all the world’s top 20 on duty, plus world number 116 Tiger Woods, Woodland, and Willett.
And nine Australians – Jason Day, Adam Scott, John Senden, Geoff Ogilvy, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman, Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, and Steve Bowditch.