Rory McIlroy of Ireland shot a four-under-par 67 to overtake third-round leader Louis Oosthuizen and hold off Tiger Woods to win the Deutsche Bank Championship during a star-studded final round Monday in Norton, Mass.
Oosthuizen, from South Africa, held a three-stroke lead over McIlroy when the round began after carding a 63 at TPC Boston on Sunday, but the 2010 British Open winner could only muster even par in the final round to finish at 19 under for the tournament, one shot behind the two-time major winner from Northern Ireland.
“I had a couple of wobbles coming in, but I obviously did enough and I’m very excited to get a victory,” McIlroy said.
Woods, who was six shots behind Oosthuizen to start Monday, shot a closing-round 66 to finish third at 18 under. The former No. 1 player in the world, who surpassed $100 million in PGA Tour earnings, never got closer to the lead than three shots.
“I certainly had my looks,” Woods said. “I drove it really well on the back nine and just didn’t hit it close enough at all. The only one I stuffed there was 17, and I missed that one.”
Americans Dustin Johnson (70) and Phil Mickelson (69) tied for fourth at 14 under.
McIlroy, currently the No. 1 player in the world after winning this year’s PGA Championship, earned his fifth PGA Tour victory and moved to the top spot in the FedEx Cup standings.
Former FedEx Cup leader Nick Watney is now second, followed in order by Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker, who was sixth Monday, Oosthuizen and Johnson.
The FedEx Cup winner, who earns $10 million, will be decided at next week’s Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.