McIlroy ends 18-month drought with Palmer title

MIAMI, Florida: Rory McIlroy ended an 18-month PGA win drought in sensational fashion Sunday with birdies on five of the last six holes to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Four-time major champion McIlroy outdueled American Bryson DeChambeau and major winners Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson with an amazing putting display on the Bay Hill greens.

“It’s so nice to see everything come together finally,” McIlroy said. “I wasn’t that far away. It takes something to click into place. Something clicked into place with my putting obviously.”McIlroy fired an eight-under par 64 to finish 72 holes on 18-under 270 and defeat DeChambeau by three strokes.

The 28-year-old from Northern Ireland took his 14th US PGA Tour triumph, his first since the 2016 Tour Championship, and served notice he is a solid threat to complete a career major Grand Slam by winning the Masters in three weeks.

DeChambeau fired a closing 68 to take second on 273, one stroke ahead of England’s Rose, who fired a 67, and two in front of Sweden’s Stenson with Woods and US compatriot Ryan Moore fifth on 278.

Stenson and DeChambeau each birdied 13 to pull within one shot, but McIlroy answered with a 40-foot birdie chip from off the 15th green for his third birdie in a row and two-putted from 21 feet for birdie at the par-5 16th to seize a three-stroke advantage.Of his approach at 16, McIlroy added, “This was massive, probably the best drive I hit all week.”