Poulter's birdie on the par-5 11th hole closed the gap to two shots, but not for long. From a sandy area short of the 10th green, McIlroy blasted out and closed his eyes when the wind blew sand into his face. He never saw the ball check a foot from the cup. And with a 10-foot birdie on the 12th, there was no stopping him.
The win ends a streak of the last 16 majors going to 16 different winners. McIlroy joined Woods, Harrington and Mickelson as the only players to win majors in consecutive years over the last two decades.
"It means an awful lot to look at the names on that trophy, and to put my name alongside them is very special," McIlroy said.
Pettersson, who started the final round three shots behind playing partner McIlroy, tried to put up a good fight, though he suffered a setback on the 1st hole without even realizing it.
The US-based Swede drove just inside a red hazard line. He checked to make sure his club could touch the grass without grounding the club. That part was fine. However, PGA rules officials determined after scrutinizing a video replay that a small leaf that moved as Pettersson took back the club. That violates Rule 13-4c – moving a loose impediment while in a hazard – and three holes later he was informed it was a two-shot penalty. The par became a double bogey.
Pettersson responded with back-to-back birdies. By then, it was too late – really too late for anybody.
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