Rory McIlroy conquers Quail Hollow again

CAMERON WILLIAMS | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Rory McIlroy hoists the winner's trophy after taking the Wells Fargo Championship title for the fourth time. McIlroy has won two straight tournaments going into next week's PGA Championship in Louisville, Ky.

Rory McIlroy is a winner yet again at Quail Hollow Club.

The four-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship put together a final round 65 en route to a five-shot victory over third round leader Xander Schauffele. McIlroy, 35, has had so much success at Quail Hollow, he joked following the final round about looking at properties on the course.

“I must say, I do go on Zillow quite a lot and look at some of the properties,” McIlroy said. “But, no, I am pretty set in Florida right now. I do love coming back here and I love spending time here. It’s a place that I am very comfortable with. Quail Hollow and the city of Charlotte in general, for whatever reason, I get a lot of support here.”

One of the key turning points in the final round was after McIlroy three-putted for par on the par-5 seventh hole. He then proceeded to go 8-under over the next eight holes, to take a commanding lead that gave him enough cushion on hole 18, where he double-bogeyed after his ball rolled off the back of the green into the creek that runs alongside.

“Remember the first 17, not the last one,” McIlroy chuckled during the trophy presentation. “I was trying to land the ball somewhere [at the front of the green] and it hit back. I got a little bit of a flyer out of the rough, but I had a cushion, so it’s all good.”

The win is McIlroy’s second in as many starts, and gives him momentum heading into next week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

McIlroy has been a top-10 golfer in the world for many years, consecutively. However, his last major came 10 years ago, ironically the PGA Championship, also at Valhalla Golf Club. McIlroy recognized parallels in this year leading up to the PGA Championship to back then.

“It’s really funny,” he said, “going into Valhalla in 2014, I had won my last two starts. Going into it this year, I have also won my last two starts. So, I’ll try to just replicate whatever I did in 2014 and just try to do it all over again. I think I am feeling really good with my game, but I need to stay in my own little world next week and not get too far ahead of myself.”

At the trophy ceremony, it was announced Wells Fargo announced a $125,000 donation to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation. Police Chief Johnny Jennings presented the trophy by flying it out on hole 18 in the police helicopter and bouquets of flowers were presented to honor four law enforcement officers killed in an April 29 shooting.

The 2024 Wells Fargo Championship is the last tournament involving the title sponsor. In 2025, the PGA Championship will be held at Quail Hollow Club. Moving forward though, McIlroy is confident Charlotte will continue to host tournaments on a regular basis.

“I think the chances are very high,” he said.

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