Masterstroke at Valhalla’s 10th was a ‘lucky break’

It was the shot that will appear on the McIlroy highlight reel for many moons to come but the new PGA champion admitted the three-wood second into Valhalla’s 10th hole, that changed the face of the final major of the year on Sunday, was simply a lucky break.

As Rickie Fowler moved into the lead with a birdie at the 11th hole, behind him Rory McIlroy was lying three shots back on the par-five 10th fairway having lost his one-stroke overnight advantage over a lacklustre front nine.

And then came the shot that shifted the momentum of the tournament firmly back in the Irishman’s favour, a fairway wood 281 yards from the pin that got a low run along sodden ground and rolled to seven feet from the hole. From there, McIlroy sank his eagle putt and moved to within a shot of the lead before closing out the deal with birdies at the 13th and 17th holes as Fowler, Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson faded down the stretch.