McIlroy clinches FedEx Cup title

Rory McIlroy has sent a warning shot to the US Ryder Cup team by coming through a three-way play-off to win the Tour Championship and with it the FedEx Cup title.

McIlroy carded a final round 64 to join Kevin Chappell and Ryan Moore in a three-way play-off and the four-time major winner rolled in a birdie from 15 feet on the fourth extra hold to beat Moore and claim the $1.5million tournament.

In a dramatic final round, McIlroy played his way into contention with four birdies and a bogey but he still needed something special to keep up the pressure on Chappell and Moore. It arrived on the 16th when his approach found the hole for an eagle and he birdied the 18th to join Chappell and Moore on 12-under.

With Dustin Johnson enduring a day to forget, McIlroy headed into the play-off knowing that a win would see him take the FedEx Cup title and he looked to have wrapped it up on the first extra hole when he found the green in three.

However, his eagle putt lipped out and he had to settle for birdie with Chappell bowing out after only managing a par.

McIlroy and Moore matched each other's scores at the 18th and 15th before the former's brilliant birdie on the fourth extra hole secured him his second title in three weeks.

"It means an awful lot. I've made it no secret that it's one of the last things I feel like I had left on my golfing CV, and I made it a big goal of mine especially after the summer had gone, to win it," McIlroy said.

"So to be here and to win the FedExCup, especially where I came in in the mid-30s somewhere, to play the way I have in the last few weeks to get it done is very special."

He went on: "I said to myself on the 15th tee, if I can finish with threes, I'll give myself a chance. I didn't quite think the eagle was going to come as soon as it did (a two at the 16th).

"But when something like that happens, you have to make the most of it. The holed shots from the fairway, it's part skill, but there's an epic part of luck in there as well, and I took advantage of it and made birdie at the last. A lot of things had to go right for me today, and they did. Everything fell into place. Just thankfully, I won the tournament and the FedExCup too."

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