Rory McIlroy has always been seemingly considered one of the greats of this generation. With his CJ Cup win on Sunday, the Northern Irish star saw himself elevate back to the top of the World Golf rankings. However, apart from this great feat, he also has added another record to his name, sharing it with his fellow PGA Tour star Tiger Woods.
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McIlroy had an impressive season last year, with ten top-10 finishes in 16 events. Moreover, he came close to winning his fifth Major title at The Open but was denied by a record-breaking performance from Cameron Smith.
Nonetheless, Rory McIlroy did not stop exhibiting his consistently great performances. Now, after successfully defending the 2022 CJ Cup, he joins the 15-time Major winner in an elite group of golfers.
Rory McIlroy joins Tiger Woods in record books
Back at the end of the 2007 PGA Tour season, Tiger Woods claimed the first-ever FedEx Cup. Starting with the new season in 2008, Woods maintained his series of great performances as he won the 2008 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, his first tournament of the season.
With his win at THE CJ CUP in South Carolina, Rory McIlroy joins Tiger Woods (2008 Farmers Insurance Open) as the only reigning FedExCup champion to win his season debut.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) October 23, 2022
Now, 12 years later, his TGL partner Rory McIlroy, has matched his record. McIlroy finished the 2021-22 season with his second FedEx win and won the season debut in South Carolina after claiming the CJ Cup.
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Only McIlroy and Woods hold the record of winning the FedEx Cup and starting the next PGA Tour season with a win. Moreover, both golfers also share the similarity of being World Number one while holding their records.
McIlroy’s big CJ Cup win
Undoubtedly, Rory McIlroy has been in the form of his life. He displayed his consistently excellent performance last year, bringing him closer to the number-one position. Nonetheless, he ascended to the top with his 2022 PGA Tour season opener.
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McIlroy finished the event with 4-under 67 and successfully defended his CJ Cup title from a year ago in Las Vegas. It is his 23rd PGA Tour win. This also marked the end of Scottie Scheffler’s reign at the top.
Scheffler caught everyone by surprise with his astonishing performances. Both golfers had many close finishes including the 2022 Tour Championship. Nonetheless, McIlroy had the final laugh as he won the crunching battle in the final round and clinched the FedEx Cup, which eventually helped him match Tiger’s record.
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What are your thoughts on McIlroy’s achievement? Let us know in the comments section below.
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