Rory McIlroy was left stunned after an incredible eagle putt from Billy Horschel saw him claim victory at the BMW PGA Championship in a play-off full of drama.
McIlroy, Horschel and Thriston Lawrence all finished on 20 under to tie the top of the leaderboard before the latter was knocked out after hitting the water on the 18th.
Replaying the final hole, both McIlroy and Horschel found the green on their second shots before the American pulled off an incredible eagle putt to wrestle the victory away from his opponent.
Both players embraced while it is the second tournament in a row where McIlroy has missed out on glory by the narrowest of margins after a last-gasp loss at the Irish Open.
Rory McIlroy was left stunned at the BMW PGA Championship
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“Last week was a tough one,” the world No. 3 said.
“This one, I leave with my head held high with the way I played the last hole trying to make three – I mean, I played the play-off holes perfectly.
“Two weeks in a row I’ve played well, just not quite well enough. But I’m happy with where my game is and happy where it’s trending.
“It just shows the standard out here. If you slip up just a little bit or don’t make a birdie on a crucial hole, someone is always waiting to take advantage of that.”
McIlroy himself knocked in a brilliant eagle on the 17th to put him on 20 under before missing a birdie finish on the 18th that would have seen him win.
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“I had my chance in regulation,” he added. “I had a really awkward yardage for my second shot, tried to turn a four-iron over and I was lucky that it didn’t go in the water.
“I still had an up-and-down to win in regulation but I was pretty lucky the ball stayed up and I could make par to get into the play-off.”
Horschel followed McIlroy onto the final par-five, securing a birdie of his own to make sure he joined the trio in the play-off.
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Rory McIlroy and Billy Horschel put on a show at Wentworth
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“My heart was pounding on the last couple shots, the last couple holes, and especially in the play-off, but it’s always fun being in those situations,” Horschel said after clinching victory.
“That’s what we work so hard for, and that’s what I’ve always wanted to be, in situations like that, going against the best players in the world and hopefully be able to come out on top on the day.
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Billy Horschel’s incredible eagle saw him win the BMW PGA Championship
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“I think the world of him [McIlroy]. I think he’s the best player in our generation.
“He’s done so much for the game. You see the support he has here; you see the support he has around the world. He has the most crowds and supporters outside of Tiger Woods.
“I do feel for him a little bit that it was another opportunity that he wasn’t able to get it done but, at the same time, to battle him head-to-head and with other guys on the last play-off hole, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”