Shane Lowry narrowly fell short of victory at the Truist Championship as Austria's Sepp Straka held on to win the PGA Tour tournament by two shots to add a signature event to his growing resume.
Lowry came into Sunday at Philadelphia Cricket Club in a share of the overnight lead with Straka, and the two vied for supremacy throughout the final round, with two-time major winner Justin Thomas lurking in close proximity.
But ultimately a round of 70, compounded by a bogey on the final hole - when a birdie could have forced a play-off - saw Lowry go from a stroke behind in sole second to a tie with Thomas (67) on 14 under.
However, the consolation for the Offaly man will be that his performance puts him on course to move up from World No 12 and into the top ten of golf's world rankings for the first time in his career.
In his first individual event since winning The Masters last month, Rory McIlroy finished six shots behind Straka in a four-way tie for seventh on 10 under after a bogey-free 68. The five-time major winner's birdies came on one and 13.
McIlroy, who had won the Truist Championship last year, feels he can head to next week's US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow with the burden somewhat lifted following his long-awaited triumph at Augusta.
"It (expectation) does feel lighter," McIlroy told broadcasters after his closing round.
"I am going there after winning my first major in a decade. With where that puts me in the argument of some of the best players ever, it is very, very cool. I'm not going there saying 'I don't care' but it is more relaxed.
"I am excited to get there. I feel my game is in good shape."
Straka, 32, won The American Express in January and is now the second player with multiple wins on the PGA Tour this season. He will rise to second place inthe FedEx Cup race and take momentum into next week's PGA Championship.
Lowry still has not won an individual event on the PGA Tour since his 2019 Open Championship victory.
He birdied two of the first five holes, and Straka matched him at 16 under with a 20-foot eagle putt at the fifth. He bogeyed the next hole, but the pair flipped places at the par-3 eighth when Straka birdied while Lowry missed the green and failed to save par.
At No. 9, Straka nailed a 28-foot birdie putt for a two-shot advantage but squandered it with back-to-back bogeys. He was short and in the bunker on 11 and watched his par putt slip left of the hole.
They were neck and neck down the stretch, both birdieing the par-5 15th to set up the close finish, before Lowry lipped out a par putt at the par-3 16th.
Straka held steady the rest of the way in, carding a two-under 68 to finish on 16 under for the tournament. He landed in the sand off the 18th tee but hit a great recovery shot onto the green and saved par.
Lowry missed birdie on 17 and three-putted for bogey on the final hole.
"I hit a lot of really good shots and made a lot of mistakes (but) I hung in there," Straka said afterwards to host broadcaster CBS.
"I had a two-shot lead and made two bogeys on the next two holes to lose it, but I kept the same attitude and mentality throughout the round."
Patrick Cantlay, Jacob Bridgeman and England's Tommy Fleetwood all shot 65 to tie for fourth at 12 under.
Additional reporting: PA/Reuters
