Rory McIlroy powered his way to an impressive five-stroke victory at the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday, sending a warning signal ahead of the year’s second major next week.
McIlroy left Xander Schauffle behind with an incredible final round of six under par. The world No. 2 started the day one shot behind the American, but scored 32 to win in style.
The Northern Irishman heads into the upcoming US PGA Championship in superb form, looking to end his 10-year Major drought.
It is McIlroy’s fourth career victory at Quail Hollow and 26th PGA Tour title.
‘For some reason, I can stay on this golf course. Charlotte has been really good to me throughout my career, another great day to add to the rest,’ McIlroy said on the 18th green after recording his win.
Now he heads to Valhalla to play the PGA Championship, where he won his last Major in 2014.
“It seems like the stars are aligning a little bit,” McIlroy admitted. “But I have a lot of golf to play and a lot of great players to try to beat.”
“I’m going into the next major of the year feeling very good about myself.”
Schauffele finished second, five behind, after stumbling with a 71, and South Korea’s An Byeong-hun was third at nine under after a 66.
McIlroy birdied the first after a good approach to the inside to five feet. However, he putt back on the fourth after failing to get in and out of a greenside bunker.
Schauffele’s par streak ended with a three-putt bogey on the sixth, but he rebounded in style on the next, shooting his approach to five-putt par to 12 feet and holing out for eagle.
McIlroy found himself two strokes behind when he made par on the same hole after three putts.
However, the Northern Irishman responded with birdies at the eighth and ninth before producing an eagle from 34 feet at the 10th.
Schauffele was just one under par during the same three-hole stretch to leave the four-time major winner one ahead.
McIlroy went ahead twice when Schauffele hit a shot on the 12th and increased the pressure on his playing partner with a birdie from 13 feet on the next short.
Schauffele was unable to save par after hitting his tee shot onto the green on the 13th hole to leave McIlroy four ahead.
McIlroy climbed up and down from a greenside bunker for another gain on the manageable 14th hole, with Schauffele missing from five feet to leave his rival five ahead.
An eagle from a greenside bunker on the 15th eliminated any chance of a nervy finish for McIlroy and the 35-year-old parred the 16th and 17th before missing two shots on the latter after making his approach in the water.
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