Billy Horschel gained the BMW PGA Championship after beating Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence in an exciting three-man playoff at Wentworth on Sunday to take house the winner’s examine of $1.53 million.
The trio completed at 20 underneath total, and within the first playoff on the occasion in 11 years, Lawrence fell first when he bogeyed the 18th after discovering the water, leaving Horschel and McIlroy to battle it out for the title.
McIlroy was seeking to win for a second time after lifting the trophy in 2014 and birdied the 18th as soon as once more, however Horschel stored his nerve and sank a shocking eagle putt to change into the primary American to win the occasion twice.
“I’m thrilled, excited for the best way I performed,” stated Horschel, who additionally gained the occasion in 2021. “On the identical time, I’m a bit of disillusioned. Rory is a very good buddy of mine, he’s a generational expertise, and he has been so shut this 12 months.
“I really feel for him, however I’m additionally excited. … There was a whole lot of luck on my facet to get this victory as we speak. I’ll give my all on each shot and grind it out, and that’s what I did as we speak. That’s what it’s important to do if you end up not firing on all cylinders.”
Horschel was locked in second place in a single day with McIlroy, and so they have been each three strokes behind chief Matteo Manassero of Italy.
South Africa’s Lawrence was 5 pictures off the lead heading into the ultimate spherical and carded seven birdies, together with an excellent putt from 26 ft on the sixteenth.
McIlroy additionally was taking part in catchup all day, and he made it depend on the seventeenth, when he holed an excellent eagle putt from over 46 ft to share the lead.
Lawrence had the possibility to complete with a birdie, however his putt on the 18th inexperienced fell agonizingly brief and he waited to see how McIlroy and Horschel would fare.
McIlroy dodged a bullet when his strategy discovered the tough close to the water on the par-5 18th. Though he chipped it over the water to arrange a birdie, he managed solely a par.
Horschel had the possibility to take the title with an eagle, and he sank to his knees when he simply missed the outlet and birdied the 18th to power a three-way playoff, the place he even chipped the ball out of a bunker to remain in competition.
For McIlroy, it was a second occasion in as many weeks the place he narrowly missed out on the title, after dropping the Irish Open to Rasmus Hojgaard by one stroke.
“I feel if I preserve engaged on the issues I’m engaged on on the vary, that solely bodes effectively for the long run. To work on my swing however nonetheless go on the market and have a very good likelihood to win, I’m pleased with that,” McIlroy stated. “I am excited for the long run. I am taking part in effectively. I preserve giving myself possibilities. … I simply must mud myself off and get myself prepared for the final three occasions of the 12 months.”
Manassero, who gained the title in 2013 the final time it went to a playoff, completed in a tie for fourth with Englishmen Matthew Baldwin and Aaron Rai after carding a 1-over 73 that included 4 bogeys. They have been 17 underneath.
A victory would have put Manassero on observe to qualify for subsequent 12 months’s Ryder Cup and to assert one of many 10 PGA Tour playing cards out there every year from the European tour.
Reuters and The Related Press contributed to this report.
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