For the fourth time in his PGA career, Rory McIlroy of Holywood, Northern Ireland has won the Wells Fargo Championship. He defeated reigning Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele of San Diego, California on Sunday by a commanding five strokes after shooting a four-round score of -17.
McIlroy, who previously won the Wells Fargo Championship in 2010, 2015, and 2021, had a first round score of four-under-par 67, a second round score of three-under-par 68, a third round score of four-under-par 67, and a fourth round score of six-under-par 65. During the 72 holes, McIlroy had three eagles. He eagled the seventh hole in round one, and the 10th and 15th holes in round four.
McIlroy’s wins at the Wells Fargo Championship over the years have been extraordinary. He has won the four titles by a combined total of 17 strokes. In 2015, McIlroy beat Americans Webb Simpson of Raleigh, North Carolina and Patrick Rodgers of Avon, Indiana by seven strokes each after posting a score of -21.
This was the second straight year Schauffele was runner-up. Last year, he lost to Wyndham Clark by four strokes.
McIlroy’s five-stroke win in Charlotte on Sunday, was actually one of two blowout victories on the PGA Tour. The other belonged to Chris Gotterup of Easton, Maryland, who posted a four round score of -22 and beat fellow Americans Allistar Docherty and Davis Thompson by six strokes. Docherty is a Canadian-born American (born in Saint John, New Brunswick and calls Vancouver, Washington his hometown), while Thompson is from Atlanta, Georgia. It was one of the rare weeks that there were two PGA events on the same weekend.
