An Irish one two at Pebble as McIlroy pips Lowry

Ronan MacNamara
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Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Ronan MacNamara

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Rory McIlroy played the kind of golf that showed when he brings his A-game he is still the best in the world as he held off the chasing pack to ease to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am title.

Although his close friend Shane Lowry refused to throw in the towel and shot a final round of 68 to claim second place and just over $2 million, an explosive stretch of five under for six holes on the back nine helped McIlroy roar clear and close out a comfortable win.

A round of 66 saw McIlroy win by two from Lowry on 21-under, one shy of the tournament scoring record as he moved up to 22nd in the all time PGA Tour ranks with his 27th victory.

“Some people would argue that the golf courses I have won on are not up to a Pebble Beach or an Augusta or whatever but to win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really cool.

“I knew today was going to be tough, it was going to be exciting, so many guys around the lead. With it being Pebble Beach I had to put that to the back of my mind and shoot a score which I was able to. Really cool to have that walk up 18 and to take it all in.”

Teeing off a shot behind Sepp Straka, the final three ball got off to edgy starts but McIlroy did manage to scramble an opening par before birdieing the par-5 2nd. He edged ahead with a birdie on the par-3 7th but was back into a share of the lead after a clumsy bogey on the 8th where he missed a wedge left of the green.

But while his opponents jostled for position, McIlroy flicked a switch and went through the gears, producing iron shots that nobody around him is capable of when he is on song.

Birdies on the 10th and 12th gave him control of the tournament before a towing 7-iron from 201 yards found the 14th green and he rolled in the 25-footer for an eagle which shut the door on the field.

“I hit three really good tee shots off 14, the previous two times I didn’t take advantage of them and I was determined to take advantage of it today. I hit a perfect 7-iron after that drive and to hole a putt like that across that green was a bonus and that really gave me a cushion to play those last four holes.

“I was really proud of myself, made that bogey on 8 and to play the next few the way I did it made it pretty comfortable coming down the last few holes.”

A birdie on the 15th rubber-stamped his advantage as he maintained a three shot advantage of Lowry who fought valiantly with five birdies on the back nine after an iffy opening eight holes.

Lowry could have forced the issue up the 18th but missed a great opportunity to reduce the gap to two going up the last meaning McIlroy could iron, iron and wedge his way up the 72nd hole and soak in the applause.

“There’s a few scenarios going through your head if Shane birdied 17, a three shot lead on 18 compared to a two shot lead is different. I would have hit driver up the last if I needed to but with a three shot cushion I played it as a three shotter to get the job done and that’s what I needed to do.

“It was nice to see Shane make four to finish second on his own and that will make the flight home even better for both of us! Really cool to win in California a place that I haven’t historically played that well before, that’s really cool.”

Lowry’s nineteen-under total was enough to edge into second spot one ahead of Lucas Glover and Justin Rose who bumped a 3-wood from short of the green into the hole for a dramatic eagle to make it a European 1-2-3 which will please Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald ahead of September’s contest in Bethpage Black.

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