Rory McIlroy's USPGA victory in 2014

Our pictorial essay of the final day's action at Valhalla.

The final round of the 2014 USPGA Championship was delayed by rain. This was the scene on the opening hole as greenskeeping staff worked to prepare the course for play. This was the third USPGA Championship to be held at Valhalla, following the tournaments of 1996 and 2000, both won in play-offs, by Mark Brooks and Tiger Woods respectively. The course also hosted the Ryder Cup in 2008, the most recent U.S. victory.

At the end of the third round Rory McIlroy was leading, on -13, a shot ahead of Bernd Wiesberger. Wiesberger was the only Austrian in the field of 26 different nationalities. Eighty-three Americans had teed it up on day one; the next most represented nations were England and South Africa, with nine players each.

Lying tied in fourth spot on 10-under with Jason Day, Phil Mickelson made four birdies on the final day front nine and overtook McIlroy, as did Henrik Stenson who made five birdies on this stretch. At one stage McIlroy was three shots off the lead, but an eagle at the 10th got him back within one shot. Stenson both made bogey on the 14th, Mickelson on the 16th. McIlroy birdied the 13th and 17th. Needing eagle on 18 to tie McIlroy, Mickelson's chip from off the green narrowly missed - this photo is taken as he stands waiting on the green, in the realisation that he would probably now finish second - his  eighth runner-up finish in a Major. He added a ninth in the next Major played, the 2015 US Masters.

Rory McIlroy played the final hole in the fading light due to the earlier rain delay.

With rain and bad light involved, it sounds as though this could be a cricket match. This photo even looks like Rory is practising his off spinner. In fact it is McIlroy's USPGA victory moment celebration. But golf can help one's cricket, as England and Yorkshire opening batsman Adam Lyth has shown.

Rory McIlroy celebrates his one-stroke victory on the 18th green with his caddie JP Fitzgerald.

Rory McIlroy discovers the lid of the Wanamaker Trophy comes of when the PGA of America President, Ted Bishop, presents him with the trophy.

McIlroy's USPGA victory in 2014 mean that he became the first man since Pádraig Harrington to win consecutive Majors. Harrington won the same two in 2008, the Open Championship and PGA Championship, seen here with wife, Caroline, and his two children.

All picture credits: Getty Images