With 18 holes to play in the BMW Championship, Wyndham Clark seemed poised to ease to his third title of the year.
The American has bounced back to his best form in style this season, putting the disappointments of 2025 firmly behind him with victories at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the US Open.
After 54 holes at Bellerive, Clark was firmly in control of proceedings again, leading by five with his sixth PGA Tour win looking like a formality.
In the end, Clark saw off the challenge of Patrick Cantlay by three, but that doesn’t tell the full story of a fascinating final round in Missouri.
In fact, until late on, Clark was nowhere near his best, and that allowed his playing partner Rory McIlroy the chance to close the gap.
The signs it may not be straightforward for Clark came early, when he made a bogey at the first as McIlroy made a birdie, reducing the deficit to three.
That was down to two at the turn after both McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay went out in one under, with Clark two over for the day.
Cantlay piled more pressure on Clark with a birdie at the 10th to move solo second, just one back of the lead, and when Clark bogeyed the 10th, he appeared to have lost all momentum.
However, further on, Cantlay gave him a reprieve, finding the water at the 11th, which led to a double bogey that moved McIlroy into solo second at 13 under, one back of Clark.
When Clark failed to make his first birdie of the day at the 11th, playing partner McIlroy made no mistake and the two co-led.
Rory McIlroy co-led with Wyndham Clark for several holes
That’s how things stayed until the par-3 16th, when McIlroy missed his birdie chance and Clark’s putter finally began running hot, draining a 17-footer to break the deadlock.
Even then, with a par-5 next, McIlroy couldn’t be discounted, but rather than making the eagle or birdie he's have craved, he got it all wrong.
First, McIlroy landed in the rough with his tee shot, then into a bunker with his second. Inexplicably, it got even worse, with McIlroy finding another bunker with his third before leaving a difficult putt for par.
He missed it to gift Clark a two-shot lead, which became three when he made his second consecutive birdie to head to the 18th with a three-shot cushion.
That became two when Cantlay birdied the 18th, securing his place in the Tour Championship field in the process, but Clark was unmoved by the added pressure heaped on his shoulders.
In fact, Clark finished in style, wrapping things up with another birdie to win by three and keep him firmly in contention not only for the FedExCup, but PGA Tour Player of the Year honors.
Wyndham Clark beat Patrick Cantlay by three shots
Following the victory, Clark said: "It's hard to win. It's obviously hard too when you're up by five. You feel like the only thing you can do is blow it, essentially, unless someone shoots something really low."
Asked what his latest title proved, he said: "Well, man, I think it shows that I'm one of the best players in the world. I think - I know everyone maybe gives me a hard time and roots for other people, but I feel like I've kind of come into my own."
The final leg of the FedExCup Playoffs comes at next week's Tour Championship at East Lake, where just 30 will tee it up.
Aside from Cantlay, those who made it, having begun the week outside the top 30 in the FedExCup standings, were Gary Woodland, thanks to his T4 and Robert MacIntyre, who placed T7.
BMW Championship Leaderboard
- 1st -17 Wyndham Clark
- 2nd -14 Patrick Cantlay
- 3rd -13 Rory McIlroy
- T4 -12 Gary Woodland
- T4 -12 Collin Morikawa
- T4 -12 Chris Gotterup
- T7 -10 Robert MacIntyre
- T7 -10 Maverick McNealy
- 9th -9 Jacob Bridgeman
- T10 -8 Michael Brennan
- T10 -8 Sungjae Im
WYNDHAM CLARK WINS THE BMW CHAMPIONSHIP
Rory McIlroy can't finish with the flourish of a birdie, sending his long birdie putt left. He makes par for a 69 and solo third. Oh, for the chance to play that 17th again...
That stage is set for Clark. His birdie chance finds the hole, and he wins by three!
NO DRAMA FOR WYNDHAM
Even with Patrick Cantlay reducing Clark's lead to two, it looks like a foregone conclusion. Clark's approach from the rough accentuates that notion, as he finds the green - even getting a sporting thumbs-up from Rory McIlroy.
CANTLAY INTO SOLO SECOND
Patrick Cantlay makes a birdie at 18, wrapping up his Tour Championship spot and reducing Clark's lead to two.
CLARK LEADS BY THREE!
The 17th proves absolutely pivotal as McIlroy's travails lead to a bogey before Wyndham Clark almost wraps things up with a clutch birdie putt to take a three-shot lead to the 18th!
GO ON, GARY!
Gary Woodland finishes with a par for a 69. He'll be in the Tour Championship for the first time since 2019!
Next, Collin Morikawa's hopes of winning end with a bogey at the 18th.
MCILROY GOES BUNKER-TO-BUNKER!
A big mistake from McIlroy at the par-5 17th. From the rough to the left of the fairway, his ball finds a bunker.
Wyndham Clark has not been at his best in the final round, far from it, but he must sense glory now with a lead of one and 146 yards to the pin with his third.
Sure enough, he gets within 14 feet before McIlroy - inexplicably - goes bunker to bunker!
JOB (ALMOST) DONE FOR CANTLAY
Patrick Cantlay makes a birdie at the 17th to move to 13 under, two back of Clark. Perhaps more importantly, it all but secures his place in the Tour Championship.
PATCHY FROM FINAL GROUP AT THE 16TH
Neither Clark nor McIlroy covers themselves with glory with their tee shots at 16. Clark finds a bunker, while McIlroy is in the rough.
WYNDHAM REGAINS LEAD!
A huge moment as, from 17 feet, Wyndham Clark holes his first birdie of the day! Talk about good timing. He leads Rory McIlroy by one!
Soon after, McIlroy over-reads his putt and it drifts left.
NEVER COUNT COLLIN OUT!
Collin Morikawa is not out of this yet. He makes an eagle at the par-5 17th to get within one at 13 under!
LEADERS GO ON
McIlroy goes aggressive at the 16th, taking on the 232-yard par-3 and getting within 18 feet. That asks a question of Clark, who finds the back of the green.
SO CLOSE, RORY!
Wyndham Clark needs a birdie from somewhere - anywhere! Can he hole a 26-footer at the 15th to heap the pressure on his playing partner McIlroy?
It goes low and he remains birdie-free for the day.
Before McIlroy gets his chance, Patrick Cantlay gets back to 12 under with a birdie at the 16th, two back of the lead.
OK - here goes McIlroy. It thinks about it but stays out and the two are still locked at 14 under.
MCILROY EYES A BIRDIE
Still the leaders can't be separated - but McIlroy may be about to prise himself clear at the top of the leaderboard.
At the 15th, Wyndham Clark is disgusted with his approach, but it's hardly the worst outcome as it gets within 26 feet. McIlroy follows and that's better, hitting the back of the green before spinning back to within 13 feet.
PRIMED FOR A MOVE?
Further down the leaderboard, we still have Chris Gotterup, Gary Woodland and Collin Morikawa two back of the leaders. Can anyone make a move over the remaining holes?
LEADERS LOCKED AT THE 14TH
Wyndham Clark hasn't made a birdie since, well, Saturday, and he doesn't get one at the 14th either, his ball steadfastly refusing to break right.
That gives McIlroy a chance for the solo lead. It's nice, but not quite nice enough, grazing the cup as it drifts left.
EXCELLENT WORK
Wyndham Clark gets out of considerable difficulty in the rough, finding the 14th green with aplomb. That sets up a 24-footer for birdie. McIlroy's next and he gets closer, with 18 feet to go.
Two top-level competitors giving it everything here.
ADVANTAGE MCILROY
Rory McIlroy is finding some fairways, the latest being the 14th. Wundham Clak is decidedly less happy with his drive. Moments later it's apparent why - his tee shot drifts right and into the rough.
STALEMATE
McIlroy overestimates the break on his birdie putt at 13th, and it never looks right.
The door is ajar for Clark here with a makeable birdie putt of his own. It's just not happening for him, though, and it goes low.
CLARK AND MCILROY LINE UP BIRDIE CHANCES
McIlroy's on the tee box at the par-3 13th, and he goes aggressive, sending his ball over the pin and leaving perhaps a 15-footer.
Clark follows and leaves a similar distance from the other side of the flag.
CO-LEADERS PAR 12TH
McIlroy's chances of a birdie at 12th improve with free relief. He can't take advantage though and that'll be a par.
Clark next, and it looks good! Until it just runs out of steam and leaves him with his par.
They're tied with six to play.
TEE SHOT TOPPED
Here's something you don't see every day in elite professional golf.
A little earlier, Gary Woodland topped his tee shot. He's one of us!
One shot off the lead ... and Gary Woodland tops his tee shot. 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/cH8PSRnzlHAugust 23, 2026
CO-LEADERS AT THE 12TH
McIlroy thought his tee shot was good at the par-4 12th, but alas, he's in a fairway bunker. He doesn't look happy, but the way he's playing he'll likely find a satisfactory outcome. Let's see...
First up, Clark finds the fringe of the green with his approach.
Now, Rory... It is a reasonable outcome as he finds the back of the green to leave a somewhat makeable birdie chance, albeit with a bit of rough to contend with.
RORY IN THE ZONE!
At 11, Wyndham Clark's birdie putt from the fringe of the green goes left of the cup. Now McIlroy... that never looks like missing and he joins Clark at the top of the leaderboard!
Rory co-leads in St. Louis! Despite a 5-shot deficit to start the day, he ties Wyndham Clark at the top at 14-under @BMWChamps. 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/SPVz8lgNK2August 23, 2026
RORY TURNS THE SCREW
McIlroy's approach at the 11th gets within 10 feet. He could join Clark at the top of the leaderboard imminently...
COSTLY FOR CANTLAY
It's a double-bogey for Cantlay at the 11th. That gives Wyndham Clark a reprieve and now Rory McIlroy, on 13 under, is his closest challenger, just one back.
BOGEY AT 11 FOR CLARK
Wyndham Clark finds himself in a greenside bunker at the 10th. He gets out of it nicely, though, leaving a better-than-even chance of getting away with a par to maintain his one-shot lead.
Oh, but that's not good. Clark pushes it past the hole and that'll be a bogey.
One solace for Clark: as he lined up his putt, Patrick Cantlay found the water at the 11th...
CANTLAY IN SOLO SECOND
With a birdie at the 10th, Patrick Cantlay moved into solo second and just one behind Clark.
Cantlay's last win came four years ago at the same tournament. You wouldn't bet against him doing it again today - he also won it in 2021!
WELCOME!
Welcome to our coverage of the back nine of the final round at Bellerive, where Wyndham Clark leads Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay by two shots.
At the start of the day, Clark led by five, but he's two over for the day. I'll be providing updates throughout as we find out how he - and his rivals - get on over the back nine.