PGA Tour Championship: Rory McIlroy’s ‘comeback of comebacks’ in Atlanta
Northern Irishman’s exploits are overshadowed by golf’s civil war

With one round to go at the Tour Championship, Rory McIlroy looked as if he didn’t have a hope, said James Corrigan in The Daily Telegraph. The Northern Irishman had a chance of finishing second, but he lagged six shots behind the man who’d led all tournament, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler.
Yet defying the odds, the 33-year-old mounted the “comeback of comebacks”, said Kieran Gill in the Daily Mail. His final round of 66 was enough to secure victory by a single shot over Scheffler, whose challenge hit the buffers with an error-strewn 73. Never before has a player made up so many shots on the final round of this Championship – the PGA Tour’s “grand season-ender” held each year in Atlanta, Georgia. It gave McIlroy a record third victory at the tournament.
Almost as striking as McIlroy’s fightback was the amount he pocketed for winning, said Alan Blinder in The New York Times. The Tour Championship isn’t one of golf’s four major titles, but it’s easily the sport’s best-remunerated event: McIlroy’s prize was $18m. Yet despite the eye-watering sums on offer, top players are abandoning the PGA tour for the new, Saudi-backed LIV tour. Already this year some of the biggest names – including Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood – have signed up for LIV, lured by the promise of even greater riches (sign-up fees are rumoured to be $150m).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This week, the tour announced its “next raft of recruits”, including world No. 2 Cameron Smith (winner of this year’s Open), and Joaquín Niemann, the “highest-ranked player in the world aged under 25”. All this, not surprisingly, has plunged the sport into a civil war, said Ewan Murray in The Guardian. What a pity that the “exploits” of a player like McIlroy, an outspoken critic of LIV, are being overshadowed as a result.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Nashville dining: Far more than barbecue and hot chicken
Feature A modern approach to fine-dining, a daily-changing menu, and more
-
Music Reviews: Coco Jones and Viagra Boys
Feature "Why Not More?" and "Viagr Aboys"
-
Visa wants to let AI make credit card purchases for you
The Explainer The program will allow you to set a budget and let AI learn from your shopping preferences
-
Cricket's crackdown on 'monster' bats
In the Spotlight Indian Premier League has introduced on-pitch checks to ensure bats meet strict size limits
-
The Masters: Rory McIlroy finally banishes his demons
In the Spotlight McIlroy's grand slam triumph will go down as 'one of the greatest and most courageous victories in the history of golf'
-
George Foreman: The boxing champ who reinvented home grills
Feature He helped define boxing’s golden era
-
Why Jannik Sinner's ban has divided the tennis world
In the Spotlight The timing of the suspension handed down to the world's best male tennis player has been met with scepticism
-
When 'a kiss is not a kiss': Spanish football on trial
Talking Point Luis Rubiales faces up to two-and-a-half years in jail if convicted of sexually assaulting footballer Jenni Hermoso
-
Denis Law obituary: fond farewell to 'the King of the Stretford End'
In the Spotlight Scottish footballer who was one of Manchester United's 'Holy Trinity' has died aged 84
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder