Soon-to-be dad Rory McIlroy bounces back at BMW Championship
A repeat at East Lake and a new baby? There’s a lot on Rory McIlroy’s mind.
The reigning Tour Championship and FedEx Cup winner shot rounds of 70-69-73-71 to finish the BMW Championship 3-over 283.
McIlroy, 31, started Sunday at Olympia Fields optimistically at 2 over, three shots off the lead, but quickly stumbled with a bogey on No. 1. He recovered on the par-4 second with a birdie, but finished the front nine 1 over after adding a second bogey on No. 8. On the back nine, McIlroy went even par, adding three birdies and three bogeys to finish the day with a 71.
The finish is one of McIlroy’s best since the Tour resumed its season in June after a 13-week break to the coronavirus pandemic. Before the break, McIlroy played six Tour events, recording top-5 finishes in each including a win at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in November. After the break and ahead of the BMW Championship, McIlroy finished T-32, T-41, T-11 (Travelers Championship), T-32, T-47, T-33 and T-65 at the Northern Trust.
Breaking out of his post-COVID break slump hasn’t been the only thing on McIlroy’s mind lately. The four-time major champion confirmed Saturday he and wife, Erica, are expecting their first child, a daughter.
“We’re about to be parents very soon, so we’re obviously super excited,” McIlroy said Saturday. “Yeah, we’ve been sharing the news with friends and family, obviously, but I didn’t think it was something that I really particularly needed to share out here. It’s a private matter, but we’re really excited and can’t wait for her to get here.”
Rory and Erica were married in April 2017 at Ashford Castle in Ireland.
McIlroy will advance to the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta next week for the Tour’s 2019-20 season finale. Ahead of the BMW Championship, McIlroy sat 12th on the FedEx Cup points list with 1,339 points.
Entering the 2019-20 playoffs, McIlroy held the record for most FedExCup Playoffs titles (5). Dustin Johnson tied that record with his win at the Northern Trust.
