by Jeff Skinner
For all the talk about the relative success of the FedEx Cup Playoffs we all have to admit that they appear to have accomplished their main task: to get the top players to play together after the PGA Championship. So far this season it has worked.
With a leaderboard that finished with three of the biggest names in golf sitting atop it, week two of the playoffs is definitely a success.
Rory McIlroy solidified his place as the top golfer in the world with his come from behind win at The Deutsche Bank Championship. Starting three shots behind, McIlroy took advantage of an off day by third round leader Louis Oosthuizen to squeeze out a one stroke win for his third win of the season.
It wasn’t all easy for Rory as a few mis-hits coming down the stretch made it a battle of survival at the finish between Rory and Louis. After giving the lead to McIlroy, Oosthuizen battled back with birdies on thirteen and fifteen to get back within a stroke of McIlroy. But after both players bogeyed seventeen the 2010 Open Champion needed a birdie to tie McIlroy to force a playoff. Oosthuizen’s birdie putt slid by and Rory was left to accept the trophy and a new replica championship belt that Deutsche Bank has added to the winner’s spoils.
Oosthuizen said afterwards that early in his round he felt the muscle strain that he developed yesterday but said it wasn’t a factor later in the day. He said the difference today was he didn’t make any putts. After an amazing day with the putter in the third round he needed three more putts today and that cost him the tournament.
Tiger Woods (66) made a charge at the leaders but eight straight pars to open the back nine and a lone closing birdie left him two shots behind McIlroy. Phil Mickelson continued to experiment with his “claw” putting grip and matched Tiger’s 66 today to finish T4 with Dustin Johnson.
With three PGA Tour wins including that PGA Championship victory, McIlroy is the man in professional golf.
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