Rory McIlroy's win solidifies his status as best in the world

NORTON, Mass. -- In a Labor Day finish filled with some of golf's biggest names, Rory McIlroy sent his stock soaring in the Deutsche Bank Championship.

McIlroy overcame a three-shot deficit in five holes on the TPC Boston course, and then survived late mistakes to close with a 4-under-par 67 and a one-shot victory over Louis Oosthuizen in the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs.

McIlroy joined Tiger Woods as the only three-time winners on the PGA Tour this year, and with one of his wins being the PGA Championship, that might be enough for his peers to vote him player of the year. He also finally built a comfortable gap at No. 1 in the world.

Oosthuizen, playing with a hurt right shoulder, had a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff, but it slid by on the right side for a 71.

Woods made an early charge to get back in the hunt, though he never got closer than three shots until a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th gave him a 66. He finished in third, two shots behind. He become the first player to surpass $100 million in PGA Tour earnings.

"I certainly had my looks," Woods said. "I drove it really well on the back nine and just didn't hit it close enough at all. The only one I stuffed there was 17, and I missed that one."

Phil Mickelson also had a 66 and tied for fourth, along with Dustin Johnson, who had a 70 and likely played his way onto the Ryder Cup team. Brandt Snedeker made a strong case for a captain's pick with a 65-67 weekend to finish sixth. Davis Love III will announce his four picks this morning.

McIlroy didn't make it easy on himself. The 23-year-old from Northern Ireland had a three-shot lead with six holes to play, and only a clutch bogey putt on the 17th hole kept him from losing all of his lead.

"I had a couple of wobbles coming in, but I obviously did enough and I'm very excited to get a victory," McIlroy said.

McIlroy finished at 20-under 264 and moved to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup, assuring he will have a shot at the $10-million bonus at the Tour Championship later this month.