Clark holds off McIlroy fightback to win BMW Championship

BMW Championship – final leaderboard

-16 W Clark (US); -14 P Cantlay (US); -13 R McIlroy (NI); -12 G Woodland (US), C Gotterup (US), C Morikawa (US); -10 R MacIntyre (Sco), M McNealy (US); -9 J Bridgeman (US); -8 S J Im (Kor), M Brennan (US).

Selected others: -7 S Scheffler (US), A Bhatia (US); -6 A Rai (Eng); -5 J Rose (Eng); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng); +2 T Fleetwood (Eng).

Full leaderboard

Wyndham Clark said he is “one of the best players in the world” after he survived a heroic fightback from Rory McIlroy to win the BMW Championship in Missouri.

Clark held a five-shot lead going into the final day, but saw his advantage evaporate as McIlroy drew level with seven holes left to play.

But Northern Irishman McIlroy could not take several opportunities to move ahead, and successive Clark birdies enabled the American to post a fourth-round 71 and finish the week 17 under par.

After pushing Clark all the way, McIlroy ended the day one under par to finish 13 under, four shots behind the winner.

“It was weird – I wasn’t nervous but I was kind of out of it, making double bogies, I can’t believe I didn’t make anything on the greens. But I kept trying to get myself going,” Clark told CBS Sports.

“I really started to swing free down the end. I was proud I didn’t let it get away and was mentally strong.

“I’m one of the best players in the world. Everyone gives me a hard time and roots for other people, but I’ve come into my own. It’s my best season yet coming off my worst year.”

After losing his first-day lead with a second-round 69, McIlroy said he needed a “heroic effort” to catch Clark on the final day.

The back-to-back Masters champion fought hard to gain two shots as Clark dropped three, but missed a put on the 14th with the scores tied – and from there Clark recovered.

“I can’t be too disappointed, I’m not playing well enough to be too disappointed to no win,” McIlroy told CBS Sports.

“I had my chances, but Wyndham stepped up. The way he played the last three holes, he showed a lot of character.”