CJ Cup wraps up with Rory McIlroy ‘back to ownership’ of his game

Kurt Kitayama played in the final pairing for both weekend rounds at the CJ Cup in South Carolina at Congaree Golf Club. Yes, he feels he’s ready to break through with his first PGA Tour win.

He went head-to-head with Rory McIlroy, the new world’s No. 1, on Sunday and fell one stroke short — the third time he’s finished second this calendar year. McIlroy shot a final-round 4-under 67 to finish at 17-under.

And this one came against a stacked field that included 15 of the top 20 players in the world rankings.

“It was a battle,” said Kitayama, who also shot a 67. “I was kind of coming down the stretch there, I was grinding to get in with a bunch of pars. ... It was tough, but Rory came out (with) three (birdies) in a row right there and that was tough to compete with.”

Looking forward?

“It’s a completely different spot than I was last year,” he said. “It’s kind of nice to know I won’t stress as much going into January.”

Looking for a Better Finish

Jon Rahm headed into the final round of CJ Cup in South Carolina poised to strike, one shot off the pace, and three quick birdies suggested he would make a move.

Instead, a plugged lie in a bunker and failing to capitalize on a drivable par-4 hole ended his hopes.

“Not what I was looking for,” the world’s fifth-ranked player said after posting a 2-under 69 and sharing fourth place. “The start I was looking for, but then the rest of the day was not. I didn’t make the putts I needed throughout the whole weekend.

“It’s a combination of things, tough golf course, tough setup and I couldn’t or I didn’t leave myself the easier putts. I couldn’t be too aggressive, and there were a couple short ones that today definitely hurt. That three-putt on 6 was not something I was expecting and that kind of stalled the day for the rest of the round.”

His tee shot on the par-3 14th “was one yard left and plugged in the lip (of the waste bunker),” he said, and he made bogey. Then, he lipped out a birdie putt on the drivable 15th.

“Just a little bit of bad luck with maybe not my best play,” he said. “Then I find myself quite a bit back at the end of the day.”

A Lovely Day

Tommy Fleetwood began the final round five strokes back and never threatened to catch the champion, but his 6-under-par 65 left him tied for fourth and all smiles.

“I played great,” he said. “It was just nice, nice to have a good round going on a Sunday. Started off fast and actually started off great all week, overall throughout the week.

“I had nine holes on the back nine on Thursday where I couldn’t do anything right and that was a shocker, but overall it’s been great, but particularly today. . . . I played great so it was quite lovely.”

Birdie Barrage

Well, Rahm’s course record did not last long. Two days later in the CJ Cup in South Carolina’s final round, Taylor Montgomery matched his 9-under 62.

Montgomery, who played college golf at UNLV, had an eagle, nine birdies and two bogeys in his magical round. He started the day tied for 47th at even par and zoomed into the top 20.

He said he had posted lower scores but not on a course as demanding as the Congaree Golf Club layout.

“I hit a lot of closer shots today, obviously, but my game had not been too far off,” he said. “It was just very frustrating around the greens this week and into greens with wedges. I made some adjustments and they obviously helped.”

In his three previous starts this season, Montgomery had finished third in the Fortinet, T9 at Sanderson Farms and T15 at the Shriners.

A Congaree Bonus

Timing — relocating the tournament to Congaree Golf Club three months ago and playing the event during football season — no doubt had a negative impact on attendance.

Crowds look similar to those during the Palmetto Championship at Congaree during which officials restricted attendance to 5,000 each day due to COVID concerns.

But the CJ Cup attracted a far better field, and the small galleries allowed spectators perfect viewing opportunities. And if a play took place near the ropes, fans could eavesdrop on a player talking over possibilities with his caddie.

Image that opportunity at, say, Augusta or a U.S. Open.

Sage Advice

Pairings placed McIlroy with 20-year-old phenom Tom Kim during the first two rounds and, naturally, Kim sought advice from one of the game’s great players.

“He was sort of picking my brain out there about (swing) speed training,” McIlroy said. “I was like, ‘No, no, no, no.’ He doesn’t need that.

“I think as he gets a little older and maybe a touch stronger, he’ll get (swing speed and more distance) naturally. I was like, ‘Do not go down that path. You’re good the way you are.’ ”

Yes, he is. Kim is the second youngest player to win a PGA Tour event since World War II and only he and Tiger Woods have won two PGA Tour tournaments before turning 21.

“Look, over the last 50 years, there’s only been one other player to come out and win twice before his 21st birthday, so he’s made a really good start.” McIlroy said. “But, you know, I think we don’t need to make comparisons quite yet. Just let him turn into the person he’s going to be and I think that will be good enough to have a hell of a career.”

Kim made his presence felt Sunday with a flying start, 3-under in the first four holes, to earn a place on the first page of the leaderboard. But he double-bogeyed the par-4 9th after finding the water and fell back into a tie for 11th.

This story was originally published October 23, 2022 at 3:39 PM.