Rory McIlroy played a game nearly as magnificent as the Pebble Beach scenery Sunday as he powered his way past a pack of contenders and closed with a 6-under 66 for a two-shot victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

McIlroy is one of the top attractions in golf, which only added to the appeal of the surprising sunshine and crashing surf at America’s most famous coastal golf course. And just like that, a sleepy start to the PGA Tour season had some life to it.

On a day when six players had at least a share of the lead, McIlroy took the top spot for good with an 18-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole into a stiff breeze along the Pacific. He effectively ended the drama with a towering drive and a 7-iron into the 571-yard 14th hole, setting up an eagle putt from just outside 25 feet.

“To win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really cool,” McIlroy said.

Shane Lowry fell out of a share for the lead when he sent his second shot over a cliff to the right of the par-5 sixth. But he shot 31 on the back nine, including a birdie on the final hole for a 68 that gave him second place alone.

Lucas Glover (67) and Justin Rose (68) were another shot behind. Sepp Straka, who started the final round with a one-shot lead, had a 72 and tied for seventh.

Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player whose season was delayed by minor hand surgery due to a glass puncture, closed with a 67 and tied for ninth.

LPGA Tour

A Lim Kim responded to a late charge by Nelly Korda with three birdies on her final four holes for a 5-under 67 and a two-shot victory in the season opener at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Fla.

Korda, coming off her seven-win season, holed a 3-foot birdie putt on the par-5 15th to tie for the lead. Kim was in the final group behind her and matched the birdie to regain the lead.

Kim seized control with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th for a two-shot lead, and she capped off her wire-to-wire win with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

Korda closed with a 65 at Lake Nona to start her season with a runner-up finish.

“Yeah, not bad,” Korda said. “I’m never going to complain finishing second in a tournament and giving it a run, especially on a Sunday.”

Linn Grant of Sweden shot 69 and finished third, five shots behind.

DP WORLD TOUR

Englishman Laurie Canter captured a second title on the European tour by beating Pablo Larrazabal and Daniel Brown in a playoff to win the Bahrain Championship.

The No. 89-ranked Canter made birdie at No. 18 — the first playoff hole — while both Larrazabal and Brown failed to even make par.

Canter, who is back on the European tour after a spell on the breakaway LIV Golf circuit, also won the European Open in June last year.

It was particularly hard on Larrazabal, a Spaniard ranked No. 311 who was looking to claim a 10th title on the European tour and needed to two-putt from 35 feet at the 72nd hole to win by a shot. He left his first putt 6 feet short and pushed his par putt right, dropping him into the playoff.