Life is full of iconic duos.
Bacon and eggs, peanut butter and jelly, Tom and Jerry and Rory McIlroy and Quail Hollow.
For the fourth time in his career, McIlroy came away with the trophy at Quail Hollow, shooting 17 under through the tournament.
The Northern Ireland native is the only golfer to have won multiple times at the south Charlotte club and the victory was also McIlroy’s 26th PGA Tour win and second in a row having won the Zurich Classic two weeks earlier.
“I don’t know what’s more unbelievable, winning a PGA Tour event for the fourth time or getting my 26th,” McIlroy said. “Whenever I sort of hit some of these milestones or do these things, I always think back to 20-year-old me playing in the tournament for the first time. If I had known back then that this was the way everything would pan out, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Anytime things like this happen, I just feel incredibly lucky and grateful that I have the opportunity to do what I do and I was able to play good enough golf today to take advantage of that opportunity.”
The world No. 2 has had a long history in Charlotte, having earned his first ever professional win on the very same course as his most recent.
“I love coming back here,” McIlroy said. “I love spending time here. It’s a place that I’m very comfortable at with Quail Hollow, the city of Charlotte in general and the people. For whatever reason, I get so much great support here. All these people have sort of watched me grow up. I won here for the first time as a 20-year-old and now at 35. So, they’ve sort of seen my progression throughout the years and I’ve sort of grown up in front of their eyes and I think that’s one of the reasons why I get a lot of support here too.”
Despite entering the final day trailing by a shot to Xander Schauffele, McIlroy turned it on midway through the final round, putting home two eagles en route to a five-stroke victory, the biggest margin of victory at Quail Hollow since McIlroy’s second ever victory there (2015, seven strokes).
“The first few holes, I just didn’t have great yardages,” McIlroy said. “I had a good yardage on one, it was just a perfect gap wedge, but on four and on six, it was like three-quarter shots. I just didn’t have great numbers the first few holes, but then that three-quarter 8-iron into nine was a huge confidence booster to make a swing like that and make birdie.”
McIlroy put his foot on the gas from there, shooting eight under par through the final eight holes of the tournament for a decisive win.
“Just getting the honor back on the ninth tee was a big moment just mentally and to hit the drive in the second shot that I did,” McIlroy said. “It was a big moment to draw level with him heading into the back nine, but I think I was able to do that because of the putt I made on eight, the hole before.”
Next up on the itinerary?
Valhalla.
“I’m a way better player now than I was back then,” McIlroy said. “I haven’t had the major record to back that up, but I’ve had the wins, I’ve done everything else there is to do in the game since 2014. The only thing I need to do is get another major. A win like this going into the PGA Championship next week is a good way to prep for that.”
