Rory McIlroy wins biggest prize in golf after claiming FedEx Cup and Tour Championship to pocket colossal £12.3MILLION prize

RORY McILROY bagged the biggest prize in golf, a cool £12.3million, as he romped to victory at the Tour Championship.

It was the second time in three years the world No 3 has hit the jackpot in the FedEx play-offs – although his bonus for finishing top of the pile in 2016 was ‘only’ just over £8million.

It was a fitting way for McIlroy to round off his most consistent season on the PGA Tour. This was his third victory of the year, and there have been 11 other top ten finishes in 16 starts.

Even though he failed to land a Major for the fifth year running, the former world No 1 did manage to win two of the biggest events outside the Big Four – he also won the Players Championship at Sawgrass five months ago.

McIlroy, 30, had the added satisfaction of starting down world No 1 Brooks Koepka, his playing partner in trhe final group, as he became only the second man to claim two FedEx Cup titles, matching Tiger Woods.

McIlroy partnered Woods in the final group a year ago, but crumbled to a four over par 74 as his boyhood hero cruised to victory. But instead of chanting for Tiger, the crowds were yelliong ‘Rory, Rory- as he stormed to a four shot victory.

He said: “It was pretty cool to hear my name being chanted. I never really too the fight to Tiger last year, and I was determined not to let that happen again when I found myself going head to head with Brooks.

“He put one over on mew when we were in he final group at the St Jude Invitational a few weeks ago, and to get him back and win the FedEx is amazing.

“It is such a great way to end what has been for me a truly memorable season – three wins, and I feel like I’ve given myself so many other chances throughout the year.

“I’ll look back on what I’ve achieved with so much pride, and I’ll be trying to improve on it next year – but I’ll enjoy this win first.”

There was never any chance of another final round collapse as the Northern Ireland ace fired four birdies in his first 13 holes to forge clear of Koepka and the dogged Xander Schuffle.

After trailing Koepka by one shot heading into the final 18 holes, McIlroy was four clear with five to play. And he cancelled out back to back bogeys on 14 and 15 with two birdies on the finishing holes as a closing 66 earned him a four shot victory over Schauffele.

Koepka seemed to wilt in the face of McIlroy’s early birdie blitz.

The American lost a ball on the par four seventh and ran up a double bogey – while his playing partner made it a three shot swing by nailing a 23 footer for a killer birdie.

McIlroy also rubbed salt in the wound when Koepka dropped shots at 12 and 13 with birdies at both those holes - and with the world No 1 making it a hat-trick of bogeys pn the next, it left Schauffele as the man to beat.

Schauffele showed a liking for East Lake with his Tour Championship victory two years ago. But he managed only one birdie after the sixth hole, and had to settle for a level par 70.

Mclroy also relished the fact that the ‘handicap system’ that saw the leading FedEx Cup players given a head start over the rest of the field made no difference to his victory.

After starting on five under par, five behind Justin Thomas, he shot the lowest 72 hole score. His 13 under par total took him to 18 under. Schauffele was next best on ten under for the week, and 14 under overall.