The roll continues for McIlroy at BMW

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2012 BMW Championship | Wrap | 10 Sep 2012

Rory McIlroy took control of the FedEx Cup Playoff series when he won his third PGA Tour event in six starts with a two shot victory over Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson at the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Indiana.

McIlroy now heads into the Tour Championship in two weeks time leading the series. The points will be reset to ensure that it is mathematically possible for any one of the thirty players who have now qualified for Atlanta to win the FedEx Cup but given the lead McIlory has and the manner in which he is playing he appears as if he will again be a hard man to beat.

McIlroy began the day one shot behind Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh but by the turn he was tied in the lead with Mickelson. He took the lead outright when he birdied the 10th and when he also birdied the 15th and 16th holes he led by three.

A bogey at the last was the result of protecting his lead but it was of no real concern as he earned another US$1,440,000 to takes his earnings in his past four starts on the PGA Tour to US$4,381,000. Also lying in store is the possibility of the US$10,000,000 FedEx Cup winner’s bonus if he was to be still leading the race at the completion of the Tour Championship.

McIlory now leads the USPGA Tour money list, the FedEx Cup points standings and the World Ranking. His earnings on the PGA Tour alone in 2012 now stand at $US7,840,000.

Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood tied for second, both players continuing to play their way back into form after indifferent results in recent weeks.

Tiger Woods threw down a bold challenge but came up short finishing in a tie for 5th with Robert Garrigus while Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson finished in a share of 6th.

Scott continues to impress and given he is a previous winner of the Tour Championship then he might yet finish the season off in style in Atlanta in two week’s time.

Scott is 21st in the FedEx Cup standings while John Senden is the only other Australian to make it to the Tour Championship. Senden finished 56th this week but in 29th position in the FedEx Cup standings, ensuring he will be in Atlanta.

Senden though almost cost himself the opportunity to play the Tour Championship for the when he dropped six shots in his last six holes in today’s final round. It created an agonising wait for him as his fate fell to others to determine.

“Well, now that I’m done, it’s like there’s nothing I can do now,” said Senden after his round. "I mean, I had my chances this week to finish better, and even today I was off to a good start and kind of let it go a little bit coming in.

You know, it’s tough just being here and letting other guys handle your future. But I can’t control that now, so got just to wait and see."

The Tour Championship will be played at the East Lake Golf Club from September 20th.