The 33-year-old Northern Irishman, a four-time Major winner, claimed the $18million top prize at East Lake near Atlanta, beating the winner of the last Masters in one stroke. 'Augusta, author Sunday of a catastrophic score of 73 after three laps yet perfectly conducted, as well as the South Korean Im Sung-jae.
"I think Scottie deserves at least half of this," McIlroy said.
"I feel a little bad for having capped him at the post."
McIlroy, one of the main defenders of the American PGA Championship in the fight against the dissident Saudi-funded golf league LIV, said winning the trophy "means a lot" to him this year and that he "believes in this circuit".
The scores after the fourth and final round of the East Lake Championship (par 70):
1. Rory McIlroy (NIR) -21 (67-67-63-66)
2. Im Sung-jae (KOR) -20 (67-65-66-66)
.
Scottie Scheffler (USA) -20 (65-66-66-73)
4. Xander Schauele (USA) -18 (66-63-70-69)
5. Max Homa (USA) -17 (71-62-66-66)
.
Justin Thomas (USA) -17 (67-68-63-68)
7. Sepp Straka (AUT)-16 (68-68-64-68)
.
Patrick Cantlay (USA) -16 (70-66-66-70)
9. Tony Finau (USA) -15 (72-66-67-64)
10. Tom Hoge (USA) -14 (66-66-66-69)
11. Joaquin Niemann (CHI) -13 (64-67-69-69)
.
Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) -13 (70-66-63-70)
13. Jordan Spieth (USA) -12 (68-68-69-65)
.
Aaron Wise (USA) -12 (65-67-66-70)
15. Viktor Hovland (NOR) -11 (71-68-67-65)
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Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) -11 (64-71-67-70)
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JT Poston (USA) -11 (65-69-66-69)
.
Jon Rahm (ESP)-11 (67-63-71-71)
19. Cameron Young (USA) -10 (67-67-70-69)
20. Cameron Smith (AUS) -9 (67-71-68-69)
21. Brian Harman (USA) -8 (68-70-68-67)
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Billy Horschel (USA) -8 (68-70-66-69)
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Collin Morikawa (USA) -8 (66-69-65-73)
24. Sam Burns (USA) -7 (69-74-67-68)
25. Adam Scott (AUS) -4 (68-70-68-70)
26. Corey Conners (CAN) -3 (74-66-71-67)
27. Lee Kyoung-hoon (KOR) -1 (68-72-69-70)
28. Sahith Theegala (USA) +1 (71-72-67-71)
29. Scott Stallings (USA) +3 (70-74-69-73)
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