Story highlights
Rory McIlroy holds his nerve to win the Shanghai Masters in a play-off
The world number three defeats American Anthony Kim on first extra hole
McIlroy collects $2 million for his victory, the joint richest first prize in golf
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is $2 million richer on Sunday after holding his nerve to beat American Anthony Kim in a play-off at the Shanghai Masters at Lake Malaren.
With both players sending their approach shots into the same greenside bunker, Kim missed his resulting three-foot putt, allowing world number three McIlroy to tap home from two feet to collect the richest current first prize in golf.
“It was a very important win. I’ll be the first to say I have not won enough in the last four years as professional and could have done a lot more,” McIlroy told reporters.
“I was under pressure on the back nine and was one shot behind, so to be able to come back and win gives me a lot of satisfaction,” added the 22-year-old.
U.S. Open champion McIlroy had led the 30-strong field from the opening day, but a wayward final round saw him having to dig deep to card a level par 72 to finish on a 72-hole total of 288 (-18).
That score tied with Kim’s four-round effort, although a final round three-under par 69 ensured he was the only player to card four sub 70 rounds.
Kim collected $750,00 for second place, with American Hunter Mahan and Korean youngster Noh Seung-Yul tied for third place five strokes behind the leading two.
The tournament was unsanctioned by any major tour and was bankrolled by billionaire property tycoon Shi Jian.
It is the joint largest single first prize ever awarded in golf, equaling the fund offered in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.
That tournament is also unsanctioned, although since that event first offered $2m to the winner in 2000, the $4.8m prize fund is now spread more evenly among the 12 players competing.
