Hoyo 14 de Pebble Beach. Última jornada del AT&T Pro Am. Par 5. Rory McIlroy (-21) is the sole leader with a two-shot advantage and is enjoying himself. He loosens up. Winks from the tee aiming at that line only he can take. Cutting diagonally through the dog leg like a knife through butter. The bomb is heard in Holywood. Yes, with one ‘l’, the one in Northern Ireland. In the other one, with two ‘l’s, they had to cover their ears from the blast. It’s a 375-yard bomb. He leaves himself a 7-iron for the second shot. We repeat: par 5.
That drive, which surely only exists in Rory’s bag, maybe in Bryson DeChambeau‘s, nothing more, is an excellent reflection of what happened this Sunday at Pebble Beach. A colossal victory for McIlroy. It’s on days like today when the impertinent question arises again of why this man hasn’t won more often. His prowess when he levitates is extraordinary. However, it’s quite the opposite. The question is not appropriate. Too many times it has had to be asked in defeat to dig into the wound even when he wins. It’s Roryland. Simply. Let’s not try to understand it. It’s much better to enjoy it. That’s all.
McIlroy resolved that 14th hole with a masterful eagle to seal his victory. It was the coup de grâce. The tsunami. Before that, he had already done a lot to win. He has been brilliant from the tee, hit extraordinary irons and, something that happens less often, the putter accompanied him. Curiously, it all started with a very short missed putt on the 6th. He almost had the birdie given and it slipped away from a metre. Rory’s things, one might think. Again the same. Well, no. He didn’t miss anymore.
He started by holing a very good one on the 7th, from four metres. Continued with another on the 10th from five metres, erasing the stumble on the 8th, his worst iron of the day. On the 12th, a new birdie fell from about three metres. Rory was taking off and his closest rivals weren’t responding. They were going up and down, like a roller coaster. As soon as they appeared, they fell. It happened to Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Lucas Glover, Tom Kim, Cam Davis, or Russell Henley. They were there, but in reality, no one dared to take command of operations until the Northern Irishman stepped forward. I’ll go for it, he seemed to say. When the rest wanted to react, McIlroy had already activated the turbine. Then came the 14th, what a drive, my goodness, and followed with a great shot on the 15th and another birdie. The end. He even allowed himself the luxury of teeing off with an iron on the 18th and deprived us all of seeing another big drive. We understand that, but we don’t forgive him.
McIlroy has shattered his curse with the cathedrals with a bang. The first is Pebble Beach. He was ninth in the US Open in 2019, but he has never really been in contention to win at this iconic course. In passing, he removes the thorn of the cathedrals. We already know what happened to him here, no need to recall his history with Augusta, where he is still seeking the Grand Slam, and at the Open in St Andrews, more of the same: he was 3rd in 2010 after leading on the first day, lost the battle against Cameron Smith in 2022 and didn’t play in 2015 when he was defending the title due to an ankle injury playing football. As if that weren’t enough, he has never won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Cathedrals aren’t his thing, at least until now that he has desecrated one. Who knows if the next will be Augusta. There’s nothing he desires more.
McIlroy, moreover, adds a lot of spice with this victory to the battle with Scottie Scheffler. The World Number One has finished in the top 10 in his first tournament after the ravioli incident. As if it were nothing. He returns almost two months later and finishes ninth. It’s incredible. This performance by McIlroy, if maintained over time, is an extra incentive for Scheffler to never stop seeking his best version. And all this is a delight for the senses.
McIlroy, with a final round of 66 shots, has won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am by two shots over Shane Lowry (-19) and three over Justin Rose (-18) and Lucas Glover (-18). Additionally, Sepp Straka finished seventh. Great news for the European Ryder Cup team.
