'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
World Number one Rory McIlroy rode to a 4-2 win against Gary Woodland in the final of the World Golf Championship in a canter, to win the event for a second time.
McIlroy’s performance was near flawless, as he won four successive holes on the front nine. The Irishman, who turns 26 on Monday, took home a USD 1.53 million winner’s purse.
The win at San Francisco, where the Golf Championships are being held, puts him on par with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, as the only players to have bagged 10 tour titles before reaching the age of 26.
In what has been a long week of toil and drudgery, McIlroy faced quite a few challenges against Billy Horschel, Paul Casey and Jason Dufner. The win comes close on the heels of his not-so-impressive performance at the Augusta Masters, where he finished fourth.
Wanted to give myself chances to win: McIlroy
McIlroy expressed his delight at having successfully endured a long tournament and emerging victorious. "I sat up here at the start of the week and said I want to give myself chances to win tournaments. And it was nice to do that this week and get the job done; it’s really satisfying to get that first win here, no matter what format it is, it's always nice to get a trophy. And now we move on to next week and try to do it again”, said McIlroy, whose first title this year came on the European tour.
McIlroy had a long day Sunday, having to get past Casey and Jim Furyk before going up against Woodland. While McIlroy’s abilities were put to a stern test by Furyk and Casey, the top-seed hardly struggled against Woodland.
However, Woodland, who failed to make the cut at the Augusta Masters, will return from the World Golf Championship a contented man. "Obviously it hurts to lose. But all in all, I'm starting to do things that I've been working on," said Woodland, who takes home USD 930,000.
A buoyant McIlroy will now head into this week’s Players’ Championship high on confidence.
