CJ Cup 2021 R4
October 14-17
The Summit Club, Las Vegas, Nevada
$9,750,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Rory McIlroy seized the lead with a 35-foot eagle putt at the 14th and held on to it to win his twentieth PGA Tour title at the CJ Cup @ Summit.

CJ Cup 2021 R4

"It's quite an achievement. I still need a couple more years on Tour to get that lifetime exemption, but at least I've got the wins. I was asked that question at the start of the week and it is a pretty big carrot. I think to get to 20 wins out here is a big achievement. Yeah, I mean, I didn't know if it was going to be this week, but I knew if I just kept my head down and kept playing well and doing the right things, eventually I'd get there. I've been close to starting my season with a win before, I think I finished second or third like eight times, so to get a win, yeah, it's great. It feels really good, some validation of what I've done the last few weeks and just keep moving forward."

The Northern Irishman is the 39th player to win at least twenty times on Tour and has now won at least once for five consecutive seasons.

CJ Cup 2021 R4

McIlroy started the day at 19-under, two shots behind overnight leader Rickie Fowler, and produced the eagle, five birdies and a single bogey to close with a 66 and finish at 25-under with a total of 263.

"It's one of those days you know you're going to get chances, you know you 're going to have birdie putts, maybe a couple eagle looks on the par-5s, and it's just a day to stay patient."

CJ Cup 2021 R4

"I played really well this week, highlighted by the 10-under yesterday, but to follow that up with a really solid round today. I made one bogey today on the par-4 fourth hole, just actually wasn't a bad putt. I three-putted, but the second putt, it was more of a misread than a bad putt. Apart from that, just played really solid golf, just kept giving myself birdie looks and thankfully made enough of t hem to get the job done."

The major threat to his victory came from American Collin Morikawa who started the day in a tie for 14th at 14-under and made the turn in 29 having shot seven birdies, he made one more at the 11th before closing with an eagle at the par-5 18th for a 62 to finish second second at 24-under.

CJ Cup 2021 R4

"I knew I needed a good start," said Morikawa. "After my second shot on 1, I left it like 20 feet short, so not the chip shot I wanted, but made the putt. Just kind of built momentum. I felt really good over the putter and that's kind of some of those days where you're going to hit it good, putt it good and be able to make a few birdies.

"The back nine didn't go as planned. I think if I had a half foot of more speed on a lot of putts on that back nine we could have had a few more birdies, but you know what, an eagle at my home course, Summit, it's been an awesome four days to start the season and just look forward to the rest of the season."

CJ Cup 2021 R4

Fowler (71) and fellow American Keith Mitchell (67) finished third at 22-under followed by a group of four players in fifth place at 21-under.

"I just had a couple swings that got me out of position," said Fowler. " One, I had to take an unplayable lie, which I was really just trying to hit it up the left part of the green there, just got a touch left of my line. And then a couple three-putts. Struggled a bit on the greens just with feel and speed. So really, all in all, you factor that in, miss a couple opportunities coming down the last couple, we're only three shots back of Rory. So a lot of good stuff. Obviously disappointed, but this is a big step in the right direction with where we've been in the last two years.

"It felt good to finally hit the golf ball properly, at least most of the time, for 72 holes. A lot of quality shots, a lot of good swings this week. Drove the ball well, which set me up to play golf a round this place. That's the first key is, one, staying out of the desert and driving it in the fairway. We did a really good job."

CJ Cup 2021 R4