Rory McIlroy claimed the 27th PGA Tour title of his career with an impressive victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
McIlroy made an eagle and five birdies in a superb final round of 66 to finish 21 under par, a shot outside the tournament record set by Brandt Snedeker in 2015.
Playing partner Shane Lowry birdied the 18th to secure outright second on 19 under, with Justin Rose making an eagle on the same hole to share third place with American Lucas Glover.
“Some people would argue the golf courses I have won on are not up to a Pebble Beach or an Augusta, but to win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really, really cool,” McIlroy told CBS.
“I knew today was going to be tough, it was going to be exciting, there were so many guys around the lead and I guess with it being Pebble Beach I had to put that to the back of my mind and go out there and try to shoot a score, which I was able to.
“Really cool to have that walk up 18 and take it all in.
“I said to Harry (Diamond, his caddie) walking up the last, start as you mean to go on.
“I’m just as determined this year in any of the years I’ve been out here on the PGA Tour and to get this win this early it means a great deal and hopefully just keep the momentum going into Torrey Pines in a couple of weeks’ time.”
BACK NINE MASTERCLASS
Starting the day a shot behind Ryder Cup team-mate Sepp Straka, McIlroy birdied the second and seventh to take the outright lead, but bogeyed the next to fall back into a three-way tie on 16 under par.
A birdie on the 10th edged McIlroy back in front and he doubled his lead with another on the 12th before striking the decisive blow on the par-five 14th.
McIlroy took an aggressive line over the corner of the dogleg and followed a 339-yard drive with a mid-iron on to the green, before holing from 25 feet for eagle.
“I’ve hit three really good tee shots up 14, the previous two times this week I didn’t take advantage of them and I was determined to take advantage today,” McIlroy added.
“I hit a perfect seven iron after that drive and to hole a putt like that across the green is a bit of a bonus, but it really gave me a cushion to play the last four holes.
“I was really proud of myself, I made that bogey on the eighth hole and to play the next few the way I did that gave me the cushion for it to be pretty comfortable coming down the last few.”
Overnight leader Straka, who won the American Express on his last start, could only card a closing 72 to finish in a tie for seventh.
