VIRGINIA WATER, England — Billy Horschel won the BMW PGA Championship after beating Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence in a thrilling three-man playoff at Wentworth on Sunday to take home the winner’s check of $1.53 million.
The trio finished at 20-under overall and in the first playoff at the event in 11 years, Lawrence fell first when he bogeyed the 18th after finding the water, leaving Horschel and McIlroy to fight it out for the title.
McIlroy was looking to win it for a second time after lifting the trophy in 2014 and he birdied the 18th once again, but Horschel kept his nerve and sank a stunning eagle putt to become the first American to win the event twice.
“I am thrilled, excited for the way I played. At the same time, I am a little disappointed. Rory is a really good friend of mine, he is a generational talent, and he has been so close this year,” said Horschel, who also won the event in 2021.
“I feel for him, but I am also excited … There was a lot of luck on my side to get this victory today. I will give my all on every shot and grind it out and that is what I did today. That is what you have to do when you are not firing on all cylinders.”
Horschel was locked in second place overnight with McIlroy, and they were both three strokes behind leader Matteo Manassero of Italy.
South Africa’s Lawrence was five shots off the lead heading into the final round and he carded seven birdies, including a superb putt from 26 feet at the 16th.
McIlroy had also been playing catchup all day having finished the third round three strokes behind and he made it count on the 17th when he holed a superb eagle putt from over 46 feet to share the lead.
Lawrence had the chance to finish with a birdie but his putt on the 18th green fell agonizingly short and he finished at 20-under, waiting to see how McIlroy and Horschel would fare.
McIlroy dodged a bullet when his approach found the rough near the water on the par-5 18th. Although he chipped it over the water to set up a birdie, he only managed a par.
Horschel had the chance to take the title with an eagle and he sank to his knees when he just missed the hole and birdied the 18th to force a three-way playoff, where he even chipped the ball out of a bunker to stay in contention.
For McIlroy, it was a second event in as many weeks where he narrowly missed out on the title after losing the Irish Open to Rasmus Hojgaard by one stroke.
“I think if I keep working on the things I am working on on the range, that only bodes well for the future. To work on my swing but still go out there and have a really good chance to win, I am proud of that,” McIlroy said.
“I’m excited for the future, I’m playing well, I keep giving myself chances … I just have to dust myself off and get myself ready for the last three events of the year.”
Manassero, who won the title in 2013 the last time it went to a playoff, finished in a share of fourth spot with Englishmen Matthew Baldwin and Aaron Rai after carding a 1-over 73 that included four bogeys. They ended 17 under.
A victory would have put Manassero on track to qualify for next year’s Ryder Cup and to claim one of the 10 PGA Tour cards available each year from the European tour.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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