Rory McIlroy dominates at Pebble Beach, cruising to an easy win in Pebble Beach, California

Pebble Beach looked just as amazing as it always does, and so did Rory McIlroy.

The mix of one of golf’s biggest stars and one of America’s most beautiful coastal courses gave the PGA Tour just the boost it needed. Both McIlroy and Pebble Beach lived up to their reputations on Sunday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

McIlroy was playing with great confidence, hitting his shots well and making two important birdies after the turn, when there were several contenders still in the hunt. Then, he made an incredible shot on the 14th hole, driving the ball over a tree down the fairway, leaving him with just a 7-iron to the green on the 571-yard hole, setting up an eagle.

“We both hit 7 there,” said Sepp Straka. “His was 7-iron, mine was 7-wood.”

With his lead secure, McIlroy cruised down the 18th fairway, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and the calm surf. He finished with a par for a 6-under 66, winning by two shots over his friend Shane Lowry.

“There’s some venues in our game that just mean a little bit more than others,” McIlroy said. “That’s probably to do with the history and the people who have won on those courses and what they’ve meant to the game of golf.”

McIlroy has had a few close calls at places like St. Andrews and Augusta National, so winning at Pebble Beach felt special to him.

On a day when six players shared the lead at different points, McIlroy took control for good after making a birdie from a bunker on the 10th hole, hitting a 6-iron to 18 feet into the wind. He then made another birdie with a 7-iron on the 12th hole to extend his lead to two shots.

But the 14th hole was the moment McIlroy really pulled away. From there, no one else could catch him. McIlroy finished with a 5-iron off the tee and was able to celebrate his victory with the crystal trophy, marking his 27th win on the PGA Tour.

Among active players, only Tiger Woods (82 wins) and Phil Mickelson (45 wins) have more titles. Mickelson was 35 when he reached 27 wins, the same age McIlroy is now.

Lowry had been tied for the lead but fell behind after hitting his second shot on the sixth hole over a cliff. He recovered well, shooting 31 on the back nine, including a birdie on the 18th, to finish second with a 68.

Lucas Glover (67) and Justin Rose (68) finished just one shot behind. Straka, who started the final round with a one-shot lead, struggled with a 72 and tied for seventh.

“I always say I believe when players like Rory McIlroy show up and they have their ‘A’ game, they’re pretty impossible to beat,” Lowry said.

Scottie Scheffler, the world’s number-one player, tied for ninth after a 67, despite dealing with some hand problems earlier in the season.

McIlroy had been inspired by Scheffler’s ability to avoid mistakes. McIlroy adjusted his usual aggressive style and played more carefully this week, finishing with just one bogey over the weekend, even in the cold, windy weather on Saturday.

McIlroy has said that this year is important for him, with a focus on events like the Masters, the British Open, and the Ryder Cup. But starting the season with a win at Pebble Beach was a great way to kick things off.

“It’s a really cool way to start the season,” McIlroy said. Winning always makes things better, but this week also included a hole-in-one at Spyglass Hill in the first round and his first time playing Cypress Point.

Now, with another trophy in hand, McIlroy heads to Florida with plenty of momentum for the rest of the year.

The sixth hole was where the field started to split. Rose hit his tee shot over the cliff, and Tom Kim’s second shot went toward the ocean. Lowry, in the last group, made a bogey on the hole.

But McIlroy was clearly in control from the second hole, when he made a great pitch over a bunker to set up a short birdie putt.

After McIlroy’s only bogey on the tough eighth hole, he pulled away and left the others fighting for second place.

“When he’s good, he’s great,” said Lucas Glover. “There’s a reason he’s got so many wins and major championships. Impressive round today under pressure.”

McIlroy’s victory at Pebble Beach was his second signature win, following his win at Quail Hollow last year. He earned $3.6 million for the victory, finishing with a total of 21-under 267, just one shot from the tournament record.

Lowry at least made McIlroy work for the win, staying within range until he missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole that could’ve made things more interesting. However, Lowry’s final birdie gave him $2.16 million for second place.