McIlroy frustrated by swing struggles after BMW Championship defeat to Clark

Rory McIlroy remains dissatisfied with his technique heading into the season-ending Tour Championship, despite mounting a spirited challenge at the BMW Championship that fell just short of victory.

The world number two endured a difficult opening week at the FedEx St Jude Championship, where he finished 66th in a 68-man field, describing his game as

so far away

from the standard required. His fortunes improved dramatically in St Louis, however, where he produced a much-improved showing at Bellerive Country Club.

McIlroy surged into contention during his third round, collecting three birdies in four holes to close within five strokes of leader Wyndham Clark. This set up a Sunday pairing with the US Open champion, and the Northern Irishman pulled level with Clark on the final day.

Heading into the closing stretch, McIlroy remained tied for the lead with three holes remaining. However, Clark finished with birdies on the final three holes to secure a three-shot victory, with McIlroy ending in third place, four strokes back.

Clark's closing 70 gave him a 17-under total of 263, while McIlroy posted a final-round 69 to finish at 13 under, with Patrick Cantlay taking second place three shots behind the champion.

Despite the disappointment, McIlroy acknowledged progress from his poor showing the previous week.

I'm closer [with his game] than I was at the start of the week,

he reflected.

I'm still not in a spot where I'm super happy with where my game is or where my swing is, so I just have to keep working on it.

He added:

It's nice to know, even when I'm not super happy with everything, I can still piece it together and get it around and still give myself a chance to win tournaments.

A tale of two nines

McIlroy's Sunday performance showed flashes of the form required to challenge for titles. He capitalised on a two-shot swing at the opening hole and recovered from bogeys at the fourth and seventh to post three birdies across a four-hole sequence from the eighth, pulling level after Clark had played his opening 10 holes in three over par.

Clark edged ahead with a 15-foot birdie at the 16th and found his own two-shot swing at the par-five 17th, making birdie as McIlroy dropped a shot. The American then birdied the last to extend his winning margin.

I felt like most of my game held up today,

McIlroy said.

Obviously, going out in the final group and you're working on some stuff, you're just hoping that everything stays the way it is.

I hit it well on the back nine. I gave myself plenty of chances. I just couldn't get a putt to drop there in those final few holes. I always felt like I needed to just get my nose ahead to really try to put the pressure on Wyndham [Clark] and I couldn't.

The decisive moment

The turning point came at the 16th, where Clark's birdie proved crucial.

We were tied there for a few holes and then when he made that putt on 16 for a two and I couldn't answer - that was obviously a huge moment in the round and in the tournament,

McIlroy explained.

The 17th hole proved particularly costly for the Northern Irishman. Both players found the rough off the tee at the par-five, where Clark elected to lay up en route to a birdie. McIlroy, however, moved from bunker to bunker and carded a tournament-ending bogey.

I tried to get it up a bit too far,

McIlroy conceded.

I should have been taking that left bunker out of play. If you're going to lay it up, lay it up, so just another stupid decision with a lay-up on a par-five that cost me.

When asked whether he felt he deserved victory, McIlroy offered a measured assessment to CBS Sports:

I can't be too disappointed. I'm probably not playing well enough to be disappointed that I didn't win.

I had my chances on the back nine and hit a lot of good putts that didn't go in. Wyndham Clark stepped up when he needed too. His birdie on 16 was huge and the way he played the last three holes, he showed a lot of character.

Overall, encouraged with how I played this week and certainly something to build on going into East Lake.

Clark's third PGA Tour victory of the season came with a $3.6 million winner's share from the $20 million purse, rewarding his composed finish under pressure. The American's ability to close strongly echoed his US Open triumph earlier in the year, demonstrating his capacity to perform when the stakes are highest.

McIlroy's rebound from his 66th-place finish at the St Jude Championship shows his resilience, even as he continues to work through technical issues with his swing. His third-place finish keeps him firmly in contention for the FedExCup as the season reaches its climax.

What happens next

The PGA Tour season concludes at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, where only the top 30 players in the standings compete for the FedExCup and the $10 million first prize. Competitive rounds run Thursday through Sunday, August 27–30, 2026, with McIlroy seeking to add to his record-extending collection of FedExCup titles.

Live coverage of all four rounds will be shown exclusively on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage beginning Thursday from 5pm.