Rory McIlroy was pipped to the BMW Championship title by Wyndham Clark at Bellerive on Sunday.
McIlroy jumped into a tie for the lead with Clark after making a birdie on the 11th hole in his final round.
Advertisement
However, Clark eventually pulled away after the American birdied his final three holes at Bellerive.
Wyndham Clark’s win at the BMW Championship on Sunday was particularly impressive given that he had Rory McIlroy breathing down his neck.
Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The two-time US Open champion certainly didn’t have his best stuff on Sunday at Bellerive either.
There was plenty of gamesmanship present between Clark and McIlroy during the final round at the BMW.
And the 32-year-old American got the better of the Northern Irishman.
What Rory McIlroy said to Wyndham Clark on the 18th
McIlroy was clearly disappointed after failing to win at Bellerive on Sunday.
Advertisement
However, the six-time major champion was gracious in defeat immediately after the final round, as he always is in fairness to him.
After Clark holed his winning putt on the 18th green, McIlroy approached the champion and gave him a congratulatory message.
Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“Great character. That was awesome, well done. Well done,“ the 37-year-old told Clark.
Wyndham Clark was a deserving winner of the BMW Championship.
McIlroy pushed Clark all the way, and the American responded superbly well with his incredibly strong finish.
Wyndham Clark is now the clear Player of the Year frontrunner
The two-time US Open champion is now undoubtedly in the box seat in the race to win the PGA Tour Player of the Year award.
Advertisement
Perhaps Scottie Scheffler winning next week at East Lake would change things, but if the vote was made right now, the Player of the Year would surely be Clark.
He experienced all sorts of problems during his 2025 season, missing six cuts and recording just two top 10 finishes.
Taking that into account, his 2026 season has been truly remarkable.
The 32-year-old has recorded three wins and six top-5 finishes in 22 starts on the PGA Tour this year.
Wyndham Clark winning the BMW Championship while staring down Rory McIlroy was the icing on the cake of what has already been a great season.
Read the full article here