RBC Canadian Open 2019: Red-Hot Rory McIlroy Shoots Career-Best 61 to Earn Win

Rory McIlroy shot 61 in his final round Sunday to match the lowest round of his career and win the 2019 RBC Canadian Open by seven strokes.

The 30-year-old grabbed a share of the lead after shooting 64 in Round 3, but he was on fire in Round 4 to torch the field at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ontario, Canada. He finished 22 strokes under par for the tournament, well clear of Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson in second place. 

The performance helped McIlroy win his second PGA Tour title of the season, which combined with his 10 top-10 finishes in 13 events should give him a lot of momentum heading into the 2019 U.S. Open next week.

Final Leaderboard

1. Rory McIlroy (-22)

T2. Shane Lowry (-15)

T2. Webb Simpson (-15)

T3. Brandt Snedeker (-13)

T3. Matt Kuchar (-13)

6. Adam Hadwin (-12)

7. Sungjae Im (-11)

T8. Danny Willett (-10)

T8. Graeme McDowell (-10)

T8. Henrik Stenson (-10)

Full leaderboard and stats available at PGATour.com.

There was a three-way tie for first going into Sunday and three more golfers one stroke back, but it quickly became a one-man show Sunday.

After an outstanding Round 3 where he tallied six birdies to finish six under for the round, McIlroy was even better Sunday. He had a dream start to Round 4 with five birdies in his first seven holes thanks to his pin-seeking mentality.

He was two under through his first two holes and could've gone even lower with more luck:

Per PGA Tour, McIlroy had a birdie on every front-nine hole at some point this week. The only holes on the course he failed to birdie during the four rounds were 16 and 18.

The Northern Irish star continued his dominance on the back nine Sunday, hitting nearly every approach shot within a few feet of the hole:

He often had easy work on the green, but he got it done with his putter when needed:

He finished Round 4 with more than 1.5 strokes gained in each category of putting, approach to the green, around the green and off the tee, per PGATour.com. 

On 17, McIlroy then posted his first eagle of the tournament:

Two bogeys down the stretch prevented him from getting to 59, but it was still an outstanding effort from the talented player. 

Although McIlroy gets to take home the winner's share of a $7.6 million purse, this was still a warm-up for many players heading into the U.S. Open.

Brandt Snedeker was under par in all four rounds, including a 60 in Round 2 to finished in a tie for third place. 

Matt Kuchar was looking for his third win of the season with a share of the lead going into Sunday, but he couldn't keep up while shooting 70 in Round 4. He had three bogeys on the back nine to put him in a tie for third.

Both Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson shot a 69 Sunday to put them at seven strokes under par for the tournament, good for a tie for 20th.

Brooks Koepka wasn't quite as consistent, ending the event tied for 50th after finishing at two under. 

The drama now picks up for the U.S. Open, which begins Thursday in Pebble Beach, California. Regardless of what players were able to do this week, everyone should be prepared for a tough challenge in a loaded field at the upcoming major.