Shane Lowry was crowned 2022 BMW PGA champion after pipping Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm to the coveted title after an action-packed final day at Wentworth.
Following the cancellation of play on Friday, after the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the tournament was reduced to 54 holes and the Irishman played them flawlessly, managing to play the West Course three times without dropping a single shot.
A birdie at the last meant he posted a final round 65 and a 17 under total, but he faced an anxious wait as McIlroy, in the group behind, had an eagle putt at the 18th which would have forced a play-off with his close friend Lowry. McIlroy’s 23-foot effort just stayed above ground, though, meaning the Northern Irishman signed for a 67, finishing a shot back on 16 under. That handed Lowry his first victory in a tournament that means so much to him, in the first week of qualification for the European Ryder Cup team in 2023.
Rahm, meanwhile, carded a stunning ten-under 62 earlier in the day to lay down the gauntlet to the overnight leaders, but settled for a share of second place alongside McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy’s eagle attempt on 18 to force a play-off missed by millimetres
Lowry, who hadn’t won a tournament since The Open in 2019, said: “Winning this championship means a lot. I love it here and I’ve contended in the past, so it’s great to final get over the line. It’s been a good year, but felt like I’ve been close a few times and I felt like I was running out of time to win left this season. Obviously this one is right up at the top the list, so I’m delighted to have come out ahead.”
He added: “This is a great start to my Ryder Cup qualification process. Obviously, I want it make the team and I want to make it easy for Luke. I feel like I can be a good addition to the team and we can go to Rome and challenge and win that Ryder Cup back. I’m very excited that I’ve made some good points this week and I’m hoping in the next few months to make the team automatically and go to Rome in 12 months.”
McIlroy, although disappointed with the result, was delighted that the man to beat him was a friend. “I think Shane winning softens the blow. If it had of been someone else, I might not have felt as comfortable with it as I am,” he said. “Seeing a friend win is always great and I’m really happy for him. I struggled today. I didn’t hit my irons very well. I was scrambling quite a lot. But I got the most out of my round. I sort of dug in there and did what I needed to to give myself a chance going down 18. I don’t take as much momentum as if I had won the thing but I keep saying, the more you put yourself in these positions, law of averages suggests that you’re going to get your fair share.”
The performances of Lowry, McIlroy and Rahm, three of the highest ranked DP World Tour members in the field, will have caused a huge sigh of relief to DP World Tour itself, some of whom no doubt feared that one of the 15 LIV golfers in the field win the title at the tour’s headquarters. That looked a very real prospect when Patrick Reed, one of the first players to join the Saudi-back tour fired a final round 63 to post an early clubhouse lead at -14. Rahm’s 62 ended the American’s hopes of victory, but Talor Gooch, another LIV golfer threatened to the spoil the party when he got with two of the lead with six holes left to play. However the America’c challenge stalled over the back nine, and only an eagle at the par-five 18th lifted him into fourth place on 15 under.
Second round leaders Soren Kjeldsen and Viktor Hovland both went backwards on Sunday, with both players shooting 70 to finish tied fifth with Reed and Thomas Detry. Defending BMW PGA champion Billy Horschel posted a closing 67 to finishing tied ninth on 13 under.
For the final leaderboard, click here.
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