CHARLOTTE, N.C. » Rory McIlroy considers it his most important shot of the year, one that ultimately led to victory yesterday in the Quail Hollow Championship and made him the youngest PGA Tour winner since Tiger Woods.

It wasn't the 5-iron up the steep hill on the 15th that settled 3 feet away for eagle. Nor was it the 7-iron out of the bunker on the 16th hole that was so good he didn't even bother to watch it land 5 feet from the cup.

The shot wasn't even yesterday.

The 20-year-old from Northern Ireland was on the verge of missing his third cut in a row. He was two shots over the cut line with three holes to play late Friday afternoon when he fearlessly hit a 4-iron from 206 yards into the breeze and right over the water to 6 feet for an eagle. He made the cut on the number.

“;The rest,”; he said with his engaging smile, “;is history.”;

Was it ever.

McIlroy shot the lowest round each of the last two days at Quail Hollow, and the final round was nothing short of spectacular. Playing with final five holes in 5 under—and finishing with six 3s on his card—he set the course record with a 10-under 62 for a four-shot victory over Masters champion Phil Mickelson.

McIlroy finished in style, rolling in a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and thrusting his fist in the air, his freckled face bursting with joy as thousands of fans leapt from their chairs around the green.

“;I suppose I got into the zone,”; said McIlroy, who celebrates his 21st birthday tomorrow. “;I hadn't realized I was going in 9, 10 under. I just know I got my nose in front and I was just trying to stay there.”;

Woods was 20 years and 10 months when he won his first PGA Tour event in Las Vegas in 1996.

With a one-shot lead, McIlroy hit a 5-iron into 3 feet for eagle on the 15th, followed with a birdie from the fairway bunker on the 16th, then nearly holed a 55-foot birdie across the green on the par-3 17th.

ISHIKAWA POSTS RECORD 58

Ryo Ishikawa shot a 12-under 58—the lowest score ever on a major tour—to win The Crowns yesterday for his seventh Japan Tour title.

The 18-year-old had 12 birdies in his bogey-free round on the 6,545-yard Nagoya Golf Club course.

Ishikawa broke the Japan Tour record of 59. On the PGA Tour, Al Geiberger, Chip Beck and David Duval share the record at 59. Annika Sorenstam also had a 59 on the LPGA Tour.

WIE FINISHES 2 BEHIND MIYAZATO

Ai Miyazato won the Tres Marias Championship for her third LPGA Tour title of the season, sharing the spotlight with Lorena Ochoa in the Mexican star's final event before retiring.

Stacy Lewis (66) was a stroke back, and Hawaii native Michelle Wie (68) was third at 17 under. Ochoa, the winner three of the last four years, shot a 71 to finish sixth at 12 under.

EGER WINS GULF RESORT GLASSIC

David Eger won the inaugural Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic for his first Champions Tour title since 2005, closing with a 3-under 69 in rainy, windy conditions for a one-stroke victory.