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BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy third as Wyndham Clark blows big lead before closing out PGA Tour victory

Wyndham Clark claimed a two-shot victory over Patrick Cantlay at the BMW Championship, with Rory McIlroy a shot back in third; Clark let a five-shot lead slip on the final day before claiming a third PGA Tour victory of the season

Sunday 23 August 2026 23:53, UK

Wyndham Clark won the BMW Championship as Rory McIlroy finished in third spot
Image: Wyndham Clark won the BMW Championship as Rory McIlroy finished in third spot

Wyndham Clark overcame blowing a five-shot lead to edge out Rory McIlroy with a dramatic three-shot victory at the PGA Tour's BMW Championship.

Clark saw his big overnight lead disappear during a thrilling Sunday at Bellerive Country Club, where the US Open champion bogeyed three of his first 10 holes to give hope to McIlroy and the chasing pack.

McIlroy found three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn to sit level with Clark heading into the closing stretch, only for his playing partner to post a three-birdie finish to cap off a roller-coaster victory in style.

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Rory McIlroy's chances of victory slipped away with a bogey on the 17th at the BMW Championship

A level-par 70 was enough for Clark to end the week on 17 under and close out a third PGA Tour victory of the season, following on from the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the US Open, with Patrick Cantlay claiming solo second to progress through to next week's season-ending Tour Championship.

McIlroy was tied for the lead with three to play but ended four back after a penultimate-hole bogey and Clark's impressive birdie burst, while Gary Woodland, Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup shared fourth place.

How Clark held off McIlroy to BMW Championship win

Clark's overnight advantage was immediately cut with a two-shot swing at the first, where he three-putted from 65 feet for bogey as McIlroy holed from 10 feet for birdie.

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Rory McIlroy makes a dream start on the final round of the BMW Championship to chase Wyndham Clark, who bogeyed the first

McIlroy failed to get up and down to save par at the fourth but holed from seven feet to avoid back-to-back bogeys, as Woodland - two groups ahead - made three birdies in his first five holes to get within two.

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Clark bogeyed the par-three sixth after a clunky chip from just off the green, with Woodland halving his advantage by birdieing the par-five eighth before inexplicably topping his tee shot into water at the next.

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Gary Woodland made a huge error by topping his tee shot on the ninth at the BMW Championship

McIlroy made a two-putt birdie at the eighth and picked up a shot at the ninth to reach the turn two back, only to pull level with a birdie at the 11th after Clark had started his back nine with a bogey.

Cantlay also briefly shared the lead until a double-bogey at the 11th, while McIlroy and Clark traded pars to leave the pair tied at the top of the leaderboard with three holes to play.

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Rory McIlroy had overturned a five-shot deficit to share the lead with Wyndham Clark late in the final round

Clark was birdie-free during the final day until he edged ahead with a 15-footer at the 16th, before adding another at the par-five next - after McIlroy went from bunker to bunker and carded a bogey - to extend his advantage.

Cantlay reduced the lead by birdieing each of his final three holes to set the clubhouse target at 14 under, as Clark closed out his fifth PGA Tour win by pouring in a 15-foot birdie to extend his winning margin.

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"As much as I would have loved to have run away with this, it was fun to get the juices going," Cantlay told CBS Sports. "I think it shows that I'm one of the best players in the world. Three wins in one season is my best year yet, coming off my worst year ever and I'm just very pleased with where I am at right now."

Morikawa delivered a stunning eagle at the par-five 17th but bogeyed the last to finish on 12 under with Woodland and Gotterup, who carded a final-round 69, as Scotland's Robert MacIntyre extended his season after a five-under 65 lifted him to tied-seventh.

More to follow...

What's next?

The PGA Tour season reaches its climax at the Tour Championship at East Lake GC, where only the top 30 players in the standings are eligible to compete for the FedExCup and $10m first prize.

Who will win the FedExCup? Watch all four rounds exclusively live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins Thursday from 5pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.

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