Wyndham Clark Holds Off Cantlay, McIlroy to Win BMW Championship
ST. LOUIS — Wyndham Clark completed a wire-to-wire weekend at Bellerive Country Club on Sunday, closing with an even-par 70 to win the BMW Championship and secure one of the biggest victories of his PGA Tour career.
Clark finished the FedEx Cup playoff event at 17-under-par 263, three strokes ahead of Patrick Cantlay. The champion built enough separation during three brilliant opening rounds—64, 64 and 65—to withstand a final-day challenge from a field packed with many of the game’s biggest names.
The victory earned Clark the top share of the tournament’s $20 million purse and strengthened his position entering the season-ending Tour Championship.
Clark Protects His Lead
Clark began Sunday five shots clear of Cantlay and Rory McIlroy, giving him valuable breathing room on a demanding Bellerive layout.
Although he could not reproduce the aggressive scoring that carried him through the first three rounds, Clark avoided the kind of costly mistake that might have reopened the tournament. His final-round 70 proved sufficient as his nearest pursuers failed to generate the sustained birdie run necessary to erase the deficit.
Clark’s 17-under total reflected the damage he inflicted earlier in the week. He played the first 36 holes without a bogey and followed those rounds with a third-round 65 that stretched his advantage entering Sunday.
Cantlay Makes His Move
Cantlay produced the strongest challenge among the final groups, shooting a 2-under 68 to finish alone in second place at 14 under.
His runner-up performance carried additional significance in the FedEx Cup race. Cantlay entered the week outside the top 30 and needed an exceptional finish to extend his season. His four rounds of 67, 65, 66 and 68 delivered exactly that, pushing him into position to qualify for the Tour Championship at East Lake.
Cantlay stayed close enough to keep pressure on Clark, but the leader’s five-shot cushion proved too large to overcome.
McIlroy, meanwhile, closed with a 69 and finished third at 13 under. The Northern Irishman began the final round tied with Cantlay but never found the explosive start he needed to seriously threaten Clark.
Still, McIlroy’s performance represented a sharp turnaround after his disappointing showing at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He posted three rounds in the 60s at Bellerive, including a first-round 64 and third-round 65. CBS Sports’ final leaderboard listed McIlroy four shots behind Clark.
Woodland, Morikawa and Gotterup Share Fourth
Gary Woodland, Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup tied for fourth at 12 under.
Woodland closed with a 69 after beginning the week with consecutive rounds of 64 and 65. His high finish was particularly important after he arrived at Bellerive sitting just outside the projected top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Morikawa shot 68 on Sunday, while Gotterup completed his tournament with a 69.
Robert MacIntyre delivered the lowest round among the leading finishers, firing a 5-under 65 to climb into a tie for seventh with Maverick McNealy at 10 under. Jacob Bridgeman finished ninth at 9 under.
Scheffler Finishes Well Back
Scottie Scheffler entered the week atop the FedEx Cup standings after dominating the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but he never became a factor in St. Louis.
Scheffler recovered from an opening 72 with three consecutive rounds of 68 or better, including a final-round 68, but finished tied for 12th at 7 under. Reports during the tournament indicated that the world No. 1 had been dealing with hand, foot and mouth disease, limiting his ability to contend at full strength.
Justin Thomas tied for 16th at 6 under after closing with a 69. Xander Schauffele finished tied for 26th at 4 under, while Viktor Hovland ended the week tied for 33rd at 2 under.
Season Comes Down to East Lake
The conclusion of the BMW Championship reduced the FedEx Cup field from 50 players to the 30 who will compete in the Tour Championship.
For players such as Clark and Cantlay, Sunday brought both a strong tournament finish and the opportunity to chase the season championship. Others saw their campaigns end despite reaching the second stage of the playoffs.
The Tour Championship begins Thursday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. Unlike previous editions that used starting strokes, the tournament will be played as a traditional 72-hole competition, with the lowest score determining both the event winner and FedEx Cup champion.
For Clark, the trip to Atlanta comes with considerable momentum. He controlled the BMW Championship from the opening round and never allowed one of golf’s strongest fields to catch him.
Final scores and tournament information were verified through the CBS Sports BMW Championship leaderboard and PGA Tour tournament coverage.
