Golfer Rory McIlroy suffered a surprise defeat to 24-year-old American golfer, Matthew Wolff, at the 3M Open in Minnesota on Sunday. The Northern Irishman had been in contention for the title throughout the tournament, but Wolff’s impressive performance on the final day saw him take the win.
McIlroy had been in good form throughout the tournament, and was in the lead after the third round. He had a two-shot lead going into the final round, but was unable to maintain his advantage. Wolff shot a final round of 64, while McIlroy could only manage a 68. It was a disappointing result for McIlroy, who had been hoping to win his first tournament since the Players Championship in March.
Wolff’s victory was his first on the PGA Tour, and he became only the second player in history to win a PGA Tour event in his first start as a professional. He also became the youngest winner of a PGA Tour event since Jordan Spieth won the John Deere Classic in 2013.
McIlroy was gracious in defeat, praising Wolff’s performance and admitting that he was outplayed. He said that Wolff had “played great golf” and that he was “happy for him”. He also said that he was pleased with his own performance, despite the result.
The defeat is a setback for McIlroy, who is still searching for his first major championship win since 2014. He will now turn his attention to the Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland next month. McIlroy will be hoping to use home advantage to finally end his major drought and secure his fifth major title.
Overall, McIlroy’s defeat to Wolff was a surprise result, but it was an impressive performance from the 24-year-old American. Wolff’s victory is sure to be the first of many on the PGA Tour, while McIlroy will be hoping to use this result as motivation as he prepares for the Open Championship.
