Virginia Water, England - Former world number one Rory McIlroy ended a tumultuous week by firing a six-under-par 66 in the final round to score a fairytale victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman, who broke up with tennis-playing fiancee Caroline Wozniacki a few days ago, finished with a 14-under total of 274 at the European Tour's flagship event.
Ireland's Shane Lowry carded a 68 to take second place on 275 while Dane Thomas Bjorn, who went into the last round holding a five-stroke lead, ballooned to a 75 and had to be content with a share of third spot alongside twice former winner Luke Donald (70).
On a topsy-turvy day of glorious sunshine during which the swirling winds and tricky pin positions caused the lead to constantly change hands, it was McIlroy who held his nerve the best.
A succession of long putts were holed by the leading players and they occasionally chipped in but the 25-year-old ultimately took the tournament by the scruff of the neck with four birdies in the last nine holes.
The victory was McIlroy's sixth on the European Tour and his first on the mainland. He had previously triumphed twice in Dubai, twice in the United States and once in Hong Kong.
The world number 10 ended his campaign in stylish fashion, birdying the par-five 17th and 18th and he threw his ball high into the grandstands after converting a four-foot putt on the final green.
Reuters