McIlroy claims second major championship

Rory McIlroy today claimed his 2nd major championship at the age of 23 years.

This is 4 months younger than his boyhood hero Tiger Woods was when he won his second in the 1999 PGA Championship.

McIlroy hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy after firing a flawless 66 on the difficult Kiawah Island layout in South Carolina.

Rory had already finished off his 3rd round in the morning before he went home and freshened himself up and slipped into a red shirt.

He was never seriously challenged  as he raced to an eight-shot victory. “It was a great round of golf, I’m speechless” claimed the proud Northern Irishman.

Ian Poulter was his biggest threat after starting with six birdies in his first seven holes. He later drifted with three straight bogeys on the back nine.

The chasing pack read for good viewing: Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Graham McDowell and Carl Pettersson, who had to shake off a bizarre two-stroke penalty on his first hole as he moved a loose impediment in his swing.

However none of the chasing pack were able to pressure Rory as he was too solid, not even recording a bogey on his last 23 holes.

The runner-up gong surprisingly went to 38-year-old Englishman David Lynn playing in his first tournament on US soil.

With this win McIlroy returns to number one in the World and 2nd in the Fed X Cup standings. Of course, now the talk of Rory chasing down Jack Nicklaus record of 18 majors has some merit.

McIlroy was quick to urge caution: “ He (Tiger) went on that incredible run in 2000, 2001, 2002 and won so many. I’d love to sit up and tell you that I’m going to do the same thing, but I just don’t know.”

“I just want to keep practicing, keep working hard, and hopefully there are a few more of these in my closet when my career finishes.”

McIlroy’s 2012 season has been unpredictable. A win at the Honda Classic and a Runner-Up in Charlotte was offset by four missed cuts in five events, as everyone started to question his lifestyle and new found celebrity status.

McIlroy respond to his critics today: “I don’t think I could answer it any better today.”

Oliver Neave, golf correspondent