https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E60l9Z0pSxg&feature=youtu.be
This was the week that suspicions over Rory McIlroy's previously questioned B-game were finally, and firmly, put to bed. It had long been said that when McIlroy was playing well he was unstoppable but that when things started to go wrong he wasn't entirely effective in changing his fortunes.
Well that criticism can no longer be trotted out after McIlroy produced some incredible scrambling performances over the four days at Valhalla, and his performance on Sunday typified the kind of golf which has seen him reign supreme this year.
After a torrential downpour early in the day, the leaders were late to start with McIlroy not teeing off until 9.19 p.m. Irish time. When they eventually did get out to start the round, most of the field took advantage of the softened course except for McIlroy, who was +1 for the day and three shots off the lead as he turned onto the back nine.
Just when it looked like his second consecutive major might be slipping out of reach, an eagle at the par 5 10th brought him right back into contention and from there McIlroy showed the kind of consistent play, particularly with his irons, that has made him the undisputed no.1 golfer in the world.
After that McIlroy held firm whereas his nearest challengers, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, began to falter. He joined the two Americans on 15 under on the 13th and when Fowler dropped a shot on 14 and Mickelson dropped one on 15, McIlroy had the finish line in sight.
That was solidified on the 17th when, after he hit his drive into a bunker on the right of the fairway, McIlroy produced a superb recovery shot to put himself in with a chance of a bridie which he duly took to put himself two clear going into the 18th.
With the light fading fast there was the unusual situation of both pairings playing the 18th almost as a fourball. Despite the fact that McIlroy pulled his approach shot into the bunker, he knew he only needed a par to win on under 16. He duly delivered to take home his second consecutive major and his fourth overall. And just because it's funny here he is saving the trophy again.
