FedEx Cup Standings 2014: Final Rankings and Reaction to Billy Horschel's Title

The FedEx Cup is set up to go to the best PGA Tour player that year, with a huge emphasis on golfers bringing their best in the playoffs. In 2014, there was no better fit than Billy Horschel.

Horschel saved his best for last this season, winning the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship in consecutive weeks to collect a $10 million prize and clinch the FedEx Cup title.

He shot a two-under round of 68 that put him at 11 under for the tournament, holding off Jim Furyk and Rory McIlroy by three strokes.

Take a look at the final leaderboard from Atlanta, Georgia:

Horschel entered the weekend with the lead, but he had to hold off McIlroy on Sunday as the two entered the final round tied at nine strokes under par.

McIlroy shot a 71 on Sunday, allowing Horschel's under-par round to propel him to the biggest win of his career.

Horschel trailed Chris Kirk by a slim margin in the FedEx Cup standings entering the weekend, but he made it to the top when it mattered, as you can see below:

Rank	Golfer	Points
1	Billy Horschel	4,750
2	Chris Kirk	3,100
3	Rory McIlroy	3,050
4	Jim Furyk	2,450
5	Bubba Watson	2,285
6	Hunter Mahan	1,835
7	Jimmy Walker	1,668
8	Matt Kuchar	1,300
9	Rickie Fowler	1,225
10	Jason Day	1,200
11	Justin Rose	850
12	Adam Scott	835
13	Sergio Garcia	815
14	Ryan Palmer	730
15	Jordan Spieth	698

Note: Standings courtesy of PGATour.com

John Bazemore/Associated Press

It's been quite the three-week journey for Horschel.

Before the month of September began, the 27-year-old's resume didn't strike much fear into opponents. He had one career PGA Tour victory from 2013, and he posted a strong top-five finish in last year's U.S. Open but had otherwise failed to make his mark as an elite golfer.

Horschel looked nothing like a FedEx Cup champion in the first playoff event, missing the cut at The Barclays. 

Then, he turned things around in a heartbeat.

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Horschel brought his best at the Deutsche Bank Championship but failed to hold on to his Sunday lead, as Kirk rallied for the victory. But with two tournaments left, Horschel made the most of his time left to make a run.

He won the BMW Championship in resounding fashion, holding off Bubba Watson in the final round to win and take the 2,500 points. But even that didn't move him into the lead, as he entered the Tour Championship in second place.

After winning this weekend, though, he made no doubt of his FedEx Cup title and another big payday, as ESPN's Darren Rovell reported:

Horschel's father thanked television for his son's success, as Jason Sobel of Golf Channel proudly noted:

But even the biggest moment of Horschel's young career wasn't the most important development of his day. As Kelly Tilghman of Golf Channel reported, his wife was also due for their first child:

While it was a career-defining moment for Horschel, it was a sour ending to a spectacular 2014 for McIlroy. 

The Northern Irishman dominated late in the season by winning the year's final two majors—the British Open followed by the PGA Championship weeks later.

He was neck-and-neck with Horschel entering Sunday, and a win would have given him the title, but he couldn't pull through.

Although upset with his defeat, McIlroy took solace in knowing Horschel, Kirk and Ryan Palmer won't be a part of Team USA in the upcoming Ryder Cup, per Sports Illustrated's Stephanie Wei:

The end of the season has been huge for many golfers, but none more so than Horschel. Previously an afterthought on the PGA Tour, he has now emerged as one of the biggest contenders entering the 2015 year.

Tom Watson has to be kicking himself that he didn't include the red-hot Horschel as one of his three captain's picks, but the Florida native certainly has earned the break that he's about to embark on.

Horschel came out of nowhere to win the FedEx Cup, but nobody will be sleeping on him come next year. 

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