There are few things in the whole of sport as satisfying to watch as Rory McIlroy driving a golf ball.
The Holywood ace has long been regarded as probably the finest driver of a ball in the world but has added to his game this season on the tee and elsewhere.
McIlroy trailed Scottie Scheffler by six strokes entering the final round for the PGA Tour play-off series, but he staged a historic Sunday charge to become the first player to win three FedExCup titles.
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He pocketed $10 million in 2016, $15 million in 2019 and now $18 million in 2022. That's $43 million for winning the same title three times.
On all drives for the week, he averaged 315.8 yards, five more than anyone else. McIlroy’s ability with driver consistently gives him an advantage over the competition.
The PGA Tour social media team attempted to collate the best of the best, with McIlroy's top drives on tour this season and it's well worth a watch.
The reaction of the commentators alone on the PGA Tour clip tells you just how special it is to watch McIlroy at the peak of his powers.
"This is an absolute missile" says one. "Oh boy, this (ball) may come down after our commercial," jokes another.
Before their round together last week, fellow player Max Homa tweeted that he was looking forward to spending the day with McIlroy and was excited to watch him “bomb driver.”
Well, McIlroy didn't disappoint and ofter a frankly ridiculous drive on the par-five sixth hole early in the pair’s round, all Homa could do was laugh.
Vast improvements with his wedge play and putting have allowed McIlroy to maximize his ability to capitalize on being one of the best drivers of the golf ball in the world.
He has never ranked worse than sixth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in any single, full season of his PGA TOUR career.
Since 2012, there are more than 360 different players with 100 or more rounds played on the PGA TOUR. McIlroy leads all of them in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee per round, with 0.94.
At East Lake last week, McIlroy pounded 31 drives 320 yards or longer, 10 more than any other player in the field (Cameron Young ranked second, with 21).
If he can maintain this kind of form, it's hard to see how he won't add to his tally of four Majors next year.
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