Mahan Fires 65 to Win The Barclays


Hunter Mahan saved his best for last. The 32-year-old Californian closed with a 6-under 65 to win The Barclays. The $8 million tournament - the first in the PGA Tour's season-ending, four-event FedEx Cup Playoffs - was held at the A.W. Tillinghast-designed Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.

Mahan carded seven birdies and a meaningless bogey on the par-4 18th for a 6-under 65 and a 72-hole total of 14-under 270, two strokes ahead of Australians Stuart Appleby (65) and Jason Day (68), and American Cameron Tringale (66).

Mahan began the final round trailing Day and Jim Furyk by a stroke. On the front nine Mahan carded two birdies to make the turn in 2-under 33, then on the home half really got warmed up with five birdies on Nos. 11-17.

By the time he reached the 18th, Mahan enjoyed a three-stroke lead over the field. After pushing his drive on the last, he chipped out to the fairway. Mahan pulled his third wedge behind a greenside bunker, but pitched up onto the green and made a slick downhill 10-foot bogey putt for the ultimate margin.

Day, playing in the final group with Furyk, needed an eagle on the last to tie Mahan, but the 26-year-old faced a tough lie in the right rough and ended up with a par.

Mahan, now a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, hadn't visited the winner's circle since the Shell Houston Open in April 2012. "I haven't played my best this year so it's good to get a win. I'm proud of myself," Mahan said during a TV interview.

"I've felt good the past few weeks. I knew I could (get a victory), and to actually do it is rewarding"

In addition to the $1.44 million winner's check, Mahan earned 2,500 FedEx Cup points to rise to the top of the Playoffs. If he stays in that position through the season-ending Tour Championship, he'll earn the $10 million annuity that goes to the overall Cup winner.

Sharing fifth at 11-under 273 were South Africa's Ernie Els (66) and Americans William McGirt (66) and Matt Kuchar (67). Furyk, a 16-time Tour winner - including the 2003 U.S. Open - came into Sunday positioned for his first title since the 2010 Tour Championship. But the Pennsylvanian couldn't keep pace with Mahan, closing with a 1-under 70 to end up in solo eighth at 10-under.

Sharing ninth at 275 were Americans Rickie Fowler - who carded his second straight 67, Patrick Reed (65), Kevin Na (69) and Morgan Hoffman (69). Gary Woodland (68) and Bo Van Pelt (70) tied for 13th at 276.

No. 2-ranked Adam Scott rebounded from Saturday's 75 with a 68 to end up T-15 with Bill Haas (67), Stewart Cink (68) and Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (70).

After carding a 77 Saturday to barely make the secondary cut, defending FedEx Cup champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden shot a 68 Sunday to finish at 281.

Top-ranked Rory McIlroy posted his second consecutive 70 over the weekend to tie for 22nd at 5-under 279 with seven others. The 25-year-old Northern Irishman was shooting for his fourth straight victory after previous wins in the Open Championship, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship.

McIlroy will head to Massachusetts for the second leg of the Playoffs, the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston. "Looking forward to going to Boston, a course where I've had success on before and I've played well there," he told reporters.

There were rumors that McIlroy would skip the following week's BMW Championship, which this year will be played at Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver. But the Ulsterman said he'll head west after Boston. "I was thinking about [skipping] it, but you know what? I feel fine. I feel fresh. I have no problem playing a lot of golf. I'll see where I stand next week. but I'm 90 percent going to be in Denver for sure."

McIlroy noted that an alternative motivation for flying to Colorado is to catch some NFL action. "One of the reasons why I want to go to Denver, as well, is the Broncos play the Colts on Sunday night. So I want to go to that, as well, first game of the season," he remarked. "I've heard a lot of great things about Cherry Hills. The ball obviously goes a mile there so I'm looking forward to that, like hitting 7-irons 220 [yards]."

As for his winning streak coming to a halt, McIlroy added, "It was going to come to an end sooner or later, but at the end of the day, the great thing about golf is always there's next week."

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