Shane Lowry Wins 2022 BMW PGA Championship, Overtakes Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm With One Shot
VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) – Shane Lowry birdies on the 18th hole and then has to wait and see if Rory McIlroy can produce something special to force a playoff at Wentworth.
McIlroy gave himself a chance and the crowd cheered as his long eagle put its foot in the final hole, making its way toward the trophy, stopping less than an inch.
McIlroy crouched down, staring at the ball in disbelief, while Lowry hugged the ball picker in the top scorer’s tent to celebrate Sunday’s one-shot victory at the BMW PGA Championship.
It was Lowry’s first win since the 2019 British Open and came after a three-day relic-free performance at Wentworth.
According to the 35-year-old Irishman, it is also a win for all golfers – people like him – who have turned down lucrative offers from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf breakaway streak contradiction. Lowry and McIlroy were both outspoken this week in criticizing the fact that a team of LIV golfers had been allowed to play at Wentworth.
“I want to go out and win this tournament for myself, but I think for this tour and everyone who has been loyal to this tour,” Lowry said. “I really feel like this is one for good people.”
McIlroy and Jon Rahm tied in second place, one shot back. Talor Gooch, who plays on the LIV channel, is another who returned to fourth place.
It was Lowry’s first win since the 2019 British Open and came after a three-day relic-free performance at Wentworth.
The tournament was reduced to 54 holes and did not play on Friday after Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday.
Lowry finished with 7 under 65 for a total of 17 under 199.
Lowry said: “I said to my coach this morning, ` `I need to give myself permission to play golf today. “I was playing the best golf of my life, I just had to allow myself to do it. And I did it.”
Rahm rose to the top of the table with 62, rolling in an eagle putt on the 18th to lead the club two shots in the bottom 16. He then had to wait more than two hours to see if it was good enough for a win, though on a low-scoring day at Wentworth, that never seemed to happen.
A great Lowry approach shot on the 18th ensured that.
Lowry hit an iron from 242 yards into the center of the green – a shot good enough to immediately land a punch from his batter – and then rolled an eagle putt within inches of the hole. , leave him a tap- in the birdie to take the lead.
McIlroy, paired behind Lowry, also hit a 14-foot birdie putt on the 17th break just to the right of the hole. When Lowry then hit the final hole, McIlroy knew he needed to win his 18th par-5 – something he never achieved at Wentworth.
He approached painfully.
McIlroy, who won the FedEx Cup title for the third time last month, said: “I thought that shot went into the three-meter hole. “It just revolved around me at the end. But overall, it was a really good week.”
It was Lowry’s first win at Wentworth in his 13th appearance in the European Tour’s top event, after finishing second behind McIlroy in 2014.
Lowry said: “I like it here, I’ve played in the past. “The bad hits I’ve had over the years of contention really started to creep into my head. It’s amazing what this game can do.”
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