Wyndham Clark survived Rory McIlroy’s final-round challenge and birdied the last three holes to win the BMW Championship by three shots at Bellerive Country Club.

Clark began Sunday five clear but saw that advantage disappear through 11 holes. He closed with three birdies for an even-par 70 and a 17-under 263 total.

Patrick Cantlay took second place at 14-under after a final-round 68, while McIlroy carded a 69 to finish alone in third. The victory was Clark’s third of the season, following his US Open success at Shinnecock Hills and another win earlier in the campaign.

“It shows I’m one of the best players in the world,” Clark said. “Everyone gives me a hard time and roots for other people. Three wins in one season is my best year yet, coming off my worst season.”

Clark responds after McIlroy draws level

Clark played the opening 15 holes without a birdie and made three bogeys as McIlroy steadily reduced the overnight deficit. McIlroy pulled level after 11 holes.

The decisive moment came at the 232-yard par-three 16th, which produced only five birdies during the final round. Clark struck his tee shot to just outside 15 feet and converted the putt. McIlroy then missed his chance to remain tied.

McIlroy’s challenge faded at the par-five 17th, where he found the rough before visiting two bunkers and making bogey. Clark responded with another birdie to move clear, then completed the victory with a third consecutive birdie at the 18th.

“I wasn’t really nervous. I was kind of like … out of it,” Clark said. “I was making dumb bogeys. I didn’t make anything on the greens. When I made the putt on the par-3, it got me back.”

Clark had also defended a final-round lead against a partisan gallery at the US Open. Although the Bellerive crowd favoured McIlroy, Clark faced less hostility than he experienced at Shinnecock Hills.

“I’m really proud of myself that I didn’t let it get away,” he said.

Cantlay earns East Lake return

Cantlay entered the BMW Championship 43rd in the FedExCup standings and needed a strong result to reach the season-ending Tour Championship. He recovered from a bogey with a birdie four times during the final round, then birdied each of the last three holes to claim second place.

The result moved the 2021 FedExCup champion into the top-30 and earns him a place in the field at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

“I’m coming to a golf course that I played really well at next week,” Cantlay said. “So I’m really pleased with where my game is at and I think I’m trending in the right direction.”

Gary Woodland and Robert MacIntyre also moved into the top-30. Woodland tied for fourth after a 69, recovering from a topped tee shot into a creek at the ninth that led to double bogey. His nine closing pars secured a first Tour Championship appearance since 2019 as he continues his recovery from brain surgery three years ago.

MacIntyre shot 65 and tied for seventh, while Open champion  Ryan Fox claimed the final qualifying position. Rickie Fowler, Bud Cauley and Kurt Kitayama dropped outside the top-30.

Clark’s victory also moved him into an automatic qualifying place for the United States Presidents Cup team alongside Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Russell Henley, Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa. Captain Brandt Snedeker will make six selections after the Tour Championship.

Related: Scottie Scheffler Battled Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease at Bellerive

The world No. 1 played through painful blisters and adjusted his preparation before finishing tied for 11th, with the Tour Championship next on his schedule.

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