Rory McIlroy admitted golf is "testing" him more than usual after enduring yet another near miss at the BMW PGA Championship, losing to Billy Horschel in a play-off. (More Sports News)
McIlroy, Horschel and Thriston Lawrence were forced into a three-way play-off🐻 after they all finished 20-under through four roun🐟ds at Wentworth.
Lawrence carded a final round of 65 to close a two-shot gap to McIlroy and Horschel, but the South Afric🔜an bogeyed the first play-off hole to put himself out of contention.
Horschel then wrapped up his second triumph at Wentworth w💮ith an eagle on 𝄹the second, having previously triumphed at the event in 2021.
McIlroy has endured a🧜 frustrating year, missing two close-range putts when in pole position to win the US Open in June, th🌌en slipping again on the final round to finish second at last week's Irish Open.
Speaking after Sunday's play-off, the Northern Irishman said: "Last week was a tough one but I left there with my head held high with the way I played the last h🍸ole, trying to make three.
"Two weeks in a row I've played well. Just not ꦛquite well enough. The game is testing me a little more than it has done in the past, but that's fine.
"It could have been aﷺ dif🦄ferent year but the nice thing is there's next year and the year after and the year after and the year after.
"If you think of my career as a 30-year journey, it's only one year in a 30-year journey, and hopefully the other 29 are a little more productive oꦿr a little bit better."
Horschel, meanwhile, admitted the struggles of the four-time major winner,🍸 a close friend of his, put a slight dampen💮er on his victory.
"I'm thrilled and excited for the way I played," Horsche👍l🧸 said.
"At t🍰he same time I'm a little disappointed – Rory is a great friend of mine and he's a generational talent. I know how close he's been this year 🧜so I feel for him.
"I needed a bit of luck. There was a lot of luck on my side t�♚�o get this victory today."
