Rory McIlroy left Pebble Beach feeling optimistic, but he knows exactly where the work needs to be done if he’s going to finally get over the hump at this week’s Genesis Invitational. The world No. 2 fired a bogey-free 64 in the final round - a reminder of just how dangerous he can be when everything clicks. But as good as that closing stretch was, it wasn’t enough to erase the damage from earlier in the week.
McIlroy finished tied for 14th, five shots behind Collin Morikawa, who claimed his first PGA Tour win in over two years. Despite racking up two eagles and 25 birdies across the tournament, McIlroy’s scorecard was marred by three double bogeys and a triple - mistakes he knows he can’t afford if he wants to contend at Riviera.
“I wish I could have those four holes back this week,” McIlroy admitted. “I played 68 really good holes… and if you turn those three doubles into bogeys and that triple into a bogey, that’s five shots. All of a sudden, you’re looking at having a three-shot lead.”
That’s the kind of math that stings. But McIlroy isn’t dwelling on the negatives. Instead, he’s taking the positives - the clean final round, the aggressive play, the confidence with the putter - and using them as momentum heading into one of the PGA Tour’s signature events.
Meanwhile, Shane Lowry quietly put together another strong week. A bogey-free 67 on Sunday vaulted him into a tie for eighth at 18-under. His putter got hot on the back nine, and he came home in 32 - a sign that his game is trending in the right direction at just the right time.
But the round of the day belonged to world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who continues to show why he’s the top dog in golf right now.
For the second week in a row, Scheffler found himself buried after the opening round, this time 10 shots off the pace. But he didn’t flinch.
Instead, he stormed back with a jaw-dropping 63 on Sunday, capped by his third eagle of the day on 18 - a two-and-a-half footer that set the clubhouse target at 20-under.
If the forecasted 30-40 mph winds had materialized, that number might’ve been enough. But with conditions holding steady, Scheffler had to settle for a share of third alongside Tommy Fleetwood. Still, it was a performance that spoke volumes about his resilience.
“A frustrating start to both of the last couple of weeks,” Scheffler said. “But I think these are some of the weeks when you look back, I’m very proud of sticking with it, not giving up even when I felt like things were going against me.”
As for Morikawa, he reminded everyone why he’s one of the most talented players on the planet. The former PGA and Open champion surged late on Sunday, birdieing the 15th and 16th holes to take a two-shot lead. A bogey at 17 opened the door for Min Woo Lee, who had birdied the 18th to finish at 21-under after a sizzling 65.
Morikawa needed a birdie to win outright. With 235 yards to the pin on 18, he had to wait nearly 29 minutes to hit his approach due to a delay ahead.
That’s the kind of wait that can mess with even the steeliest of nerves. But Morikawa stayed locked in, found the green, and two-putted from 26 feet for birdie - sealing a one-shot victory over Lee and Sepp Straka at 22-under.
“It’s special for a lot of reasons,” Morikawa said. “I’ve left countless hours and nights - probably too many hours - thinking about golf. It takes up so much of our life, and it’s part of who I am.”
He credited his inner circle for keeping him grounded and his own belief for carrying him through a week that didn’t always feel like it was trending toward a win.
“I kept believing in myself,” he said. “Honestly, at the beginning this week, it didn’t really feel like this was going to be possible. But with the right steps and the right belief… I was able to hit some great shots and make some great putts.”
As for that long wait on the 18th fairway?
“I tried not to think about the shot,” Morikawa said. “I might have thought about it once, honestly, in that 20 minutes.
I think if you catch yourself doing that, you’re going to start saying, ‘I need to do this, I need to do that.’ I really tried to wait for that moment.”
He passed the time looking out at the Pacific, soaking in the setting at Pebble Beach - a course that, even for the pros, never loses its magic.
“There aren’t many places in the world like this,” he said. “So to hoist this trophy, I’m very happy.”
And with that, Morikawa is officially back in the winner’s circle - and looking every bit like a player ready to make another major run.