McILROY SENDS CROWDS WILD WITH IRISH OPEN WIN AT THE K CLUB
Rory McIlroy after winning his second Amgen Irish Open in the most dramatic circumstances at The K Club (Photo: Getty Images)
By Paul Gallagher
Rory McIlroy doesn’t do half measures, he’s all in. He is one of the game’s gutsiest and most swashbuckling players, a generational player, and today he landed a second Amgen Irish Open title in sensational style in front of the home crowds at The K Club.
It took three play-off holes for McIlroy and the swollen crowds around the 18th to breath a sigh of relief before the Holywood star eventually denied Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren. But truth is that only tells part of the story because our very own grand slam champion needed to box a 25-foot eagle putt on the 18th in regulation to simply make the play-off. And of course he delivered to send the home crowds wild.
The eagle putt meant he joined Lagergren on 17-under-par to force sudden death after both signed for 66s. Both went close to making eagle on the first tie holes before tapping in for birdies, before they rinsed and repeated with two more birdies the second time around. At the third time of asking Lagergren found the water left, allowing McIlroy to win it with two putts and emulate his 2016 Amgen Irish Open victory at the same venue.
It was McIlroy’s his first victory on European soil since becoming Europe’s first player to complete the career grand slam at the Masters in April – and afterwards he was quick to praise the massive crowds who were behind him all the way.
“I feel just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of these people. The support has been absolutely amazing all week,” said a somewhat emotional McIlroy, taking time to soak up the electric atmosphere around the 18th.
“Last year I had a putt for eagle on the 18th at RCD to force a play-off with Rasmus, so perhaps holing that putt on 18 to get into the playoff was a little bit of redemption. It was such a cool feeling and a cool moment when the putt dropped and gave me the chance in the play-off.
“I thought it was going to be a nice homecoming, obviously coming home with the Green Jacket and all that, but this has been absolutely incredible. This has exceeded all my expectations. I’m just so happy I could play the way I did this week for all of them and get the win.
“Hopefully we get a bit of it in a few weeks' time at the Ryder Cup. But this is absolutely incredible. I love coming home. I love playing in this atmosphere. Moments like this, these are the things you're going to remember well after your career is over. This is a really special day.
“To do what I did earlier in the year and then to come home and win my National Open, no matter what happens for the rest of the year, that's a pretty cool year. 2025 is going to go down as one of the best, if not the best of my career.
“The way the play-off set up, it was a case of who was going to blink first. Joakim played a poor second shot and fortunately that opened the door for me. So happy to be able to win my second Irish Open.
McIlroy then took a moment to recognise the unique support he gets wherever he plays, and especially on home soil. The scenes were more like the Sunday of a Ryder Cup than the final day of the tour event.
“Look, I feel very fortunate because there are probably very few golfers in the world who get the support I get when I go home. Maybe Jon Rahm in Spain, maybe a few others, but this is actually incredible. I don’t take it for granted, I feel very grateful and very lucky that I get to do this and can’t wait to celebrate tonight.”
“To do what I did earlier in the year then to come home and win my national title. No matter what happens for the rest of the year, 2025 is going to go down as one of the best, if not the best of my career.
“But like I said, we’re not finished yet. I've got a big week next week at Wentworth and then obviously everyone's looking forward to the Ryder Cup. I'm just so happy my game's in good shape. I feel like I'm playing well and I’m so excited for what's coming up.”
Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello made a sensational hole-in-one at the par-three third as he joined countryman Angel Hidalgo in a share of third on 15 under par, while another Spaniard Angel Ayora was two shots further back in fifth alongside overnight leader Adrian Saddier.
McIlroy bogeyed the first, his first dropped shot in 38 holes, but bounced back with a 38-foot putt for birdie at the second and saved par with a good up-and-down at the next. The now 20-time DP World Tour winner birdied the fourth and then holed from over 40 feet at the fifth to move two under for the day and 13 under for the week. He birdied the ninth to join a five-way tie on 14 under as he made the turn.
McIlroy holed a steely par-saver at the 12th and to the delight of the home crowd, before his six-foot putt at the 13th made a full circuit of the hole to drop back in the front edge. Cabrera Bello joined him at the top with a birdie at the par-five 16th as Hidalgo dropped a shot at the 14th and Ayora set a clubhouse target of 13 under after a 67.
Lagergren made a spectacular eagle at the 16th to go 16 under as Cabrera Bello's 67 lowered the clubhouse lead to 15 under and Hidalgo, with a birdie at the 16th, and McIlroy, who parred the 17th, were also on that mark. Lagergren's birdie at the last left McIlroy needing an eagle to force a play-off - and after two blows onto the green, he delivered exactly what was required.
Irishman Shane Lowry was the only Amgen ambassador to make the cut in his national open and carded three birdies in his final round of 71 to add another €1,500 donation to Make a Wish Ireland.
The Official Charity Partner of the Amgen Irish Open will receive another €10,500 via the Birdies for Wishes campaign after 33 birdies and two eagles were carded on the 18th hole.
FINAL SCORES
271 R MCILROY (NIR) 71 66 68 66, J LAGERGREN (SWE) 70 62 73 66,
273 R CABRERA BELLO (ESP) 68 71 67 67, A HIDALGO (ESP) 70 69 63 71,
275 A AYORA (ESP) 69 71 68 67, A SADDIER (FRA) 67 66 68 74,
276 O LINDELL (FIN) 68 70 68 70,
277 J OLESEN (DEN) 69 70 67 71,
278 J WINTHER (DEN) 72 69 68 69, D BROWN (ENG) 67 75 66 70, S NORRIS (RSA) 72 71 65 70,
280 M ARMITAGE (ENG) 71 73 72 64, T DETRY (BEL) 73 69 68 70, A GARCIA-HEREDIA (ESP) 72 65 67 76,
281 J LUITEN (NED) 73 69 73 66, R STERNE (RSA) 71 70 71 69, D RAVETTO (FRA) 68 70 73 70, S LOWRY (IRL) 69 71 70 71, C SORDET (FRA) 73 70 67 71,
282 T MCKIBBIN (NIR) 71 68 74 69, J SENIOR (ENG) 71 71 70 70, M ELVIRA (ESP) 68 76 68 70, N LEMKE (SWE) 69 71 70 72, C JARVIS (RSA) 69 72 68 73, T OLESEN (DEN) 66 71 70 75,
283 B WIESBERGER (AUT) 67 71 76 69, J DE BRUYN (GER) 70 70 73 70, T CLEMENTS (ENG) 70 72 68 73,
284 N ELVIRA (ESP) 66 76 72 70, J VEGAS (VEN) 72 72 70 70, T AIKEN (RSA) 69 75 69 71, J PARRY (ENG) 73 69 69 73, R LANGASQUE (FRA) 66 74 70 74, T PULKKANEN (FIN) 69 69 71 75, B SCHMIDT (ENG) 69 70 70 75, D HILLIER (NZL) 71 66 71 76,
285 M LINDBERG (SWE) 69 75 73 68, N VON DELLINGSHAUSEN (GER) 73 70 72 70, E SMYLIE (AUS) 73 69 70 73, M MANASSERO (ITA) 70 74 68 73, B WU (USA) 70 68 70 77,
286 T VAILLANT (FRA) 70 71 72 73, L CANTER (ENG) 69 71 72 74, T HATTON (ENG) 70 68 71 77, H BROWN (DEN) 70 68 70 78,
287 A HALVORSEN (NOR) 70 73 72 72, R FISHER (ENG) 72 71 71 73, A COCKERILL (CAN) 70 68 75 74, J KO (FRA) 70 73 69 75,
288 P REED (USA) 74 70 73 71, M PENGE (ENG) 70 70 75 73, A MAGUIRE (IRL) 70 72 73 73, C BEZUIDENHOUT (RSA) 72 67 75 74, E CHACARRA (ESP) 72 71 69 76, A LEVY (FRA) 70 72 69 77,
289 E VAN ROOYEN (RSA) 73 70 73 73, Y KATSURAGAWA (JPN) 72 71 73 73, Z LOMBARD (RSA) 67 77 72 73, K APHIBARNRAT (THA) 71 71 73 74, A DEL REY (ESP) 71 72 71 75,
290 S CROCKER (USA) 73 71 72 74,
291 P O'HARA (SCO) 70 72 75 74, M LAIRD (SCO) 70 74 73 74, K KOBORI (NZL) 75 69 72 75, A OTAEGUI (UAE) 70 73 71 77,
292 J MOSCATEL (ESP) 69 73 72 78,
293 D BRYANT (USA) 72 68 75 78,
294 R WILLIAMS (RSA) 72 71 75 76, S FORSSTR?M (SWE) 70 68 79 77, D NAIDOO (RSA) 74 70 72 78, G MIGLIOZZI (ITA) 71 71 71 81,
296 J SVENSSON (SWE) 72 71 74 79,
**
145 G FORREST (SCO) 73 72, M BALDWIN (ENG) 69 76, K NAKAJIMA (JPN) 73 72, R NEERGAARD-PETERSEN (DEN) 74 71, C SYME (SCO) 74 71, M KAWAMURA (JPN) 70 75, A WILSON (ENG) 70 75, M SCHMID (GER) 69 76, F LAPORTA (ITA) 69 76, N NORGAARD (DEN) 73 72, J VEERMAN (USA) 73 72, R GERARD (USA) 72 73, L BJERREGAARD (DEN) 71 74, R RAMSAY (SCO) 72 73, J BRUN (FRA) 70 75,
146 M POWER (IRL) 74 72, S JAMIESON (SCO) 74 72, S POWER (IRL) 72 74, D WILLETT (ENG) 70 76, C SHINKWIN (ENG) 76 70, M SCHNEIDER (GER) 72 74, D BRADBURY (ENG) 70 76, R MORAN (IRL) 72 74, J CATLIN (USA) 74 72, D MICHELUZZI (AUS) 73 73, R JOHNSTON (USA) 76 70,
147 H LI (CHN) 72 75, J SCRIVENER (AUS) 74 73, N COLSAERTS (BEL) 72 75, U COUSSAUD (FRA) 73 74, J SCHAPER (RSA) 71 76, P LARRAZ?BAL (ESP) 73 74, G GREEN (MAS) 71 76, E FERGUSON (SCO) 71 76, J GUERRIER (FRA) 74 73,
148 L DONALD (ENG) 77 71, M SCHWAB (AUT) 74 74, I CANTERO (ESP) 72 76, M COUVRA (FRA) 76 72, J SMITH (ENG) 71 77, A MERONK (POL) 73 75, A SULLIVAN (ENG) 74 74, D FRITTELLI (RSA) 75 73, J GUMBERG (USA) 74 74,
149 M KENNEDY (IRL) 78 71, F LACROIX (FRA) 72 77, B ROBINSON THOMPSON (ENG) 75 74, P HARRINGTON (IRL) 74 75, J CAMPILLO (ESP) 76 73, S BAIRSTOW (ENG) 74 75, D VAN DRIEL (NED) 78 71,
150 J DANTORP (SWE) 77 73, A PAVAN (ITA) 77 73, C HILL (SCO) 77 73,
151 R BREHM (USA) 74 77, B STONE (RSA) 76 75, B ?KESSON (SWE) 79 72, B KOEPKA (USA) 71 80, K REITAN (NOR) 77 74, M KIEFFER (GER) 76 75, M JORDAN (ENG) 81 70,
152 B HEBERT (FRA) 74 78, R MANSELL (ENG) 74 78, T MERRITT (USA) 76 76, C PURCELL (IRL) 76 76,
153 F MOLINARI (ITA) 74 79, F ZANOTTI (PAR) 76 77, T LAWRENCE (RSA) 81 72, J DOYLE (AM) (IRL) 74 79, J DEAN (ENG) 77 76,
154 P PINEAU (FRA) 74 80, D FICHARDT (RSA) 77 77, D GERMISHUYS (RSA) 73 81, A KNAPPE (GER) 78 76, M DAFFUE (RSA) 79 75,
155 Y PAUL (GER) 79 76,
156 A FITZPATRICK (ENG) 80 76,
157 S SHARMA (IND) 78 79, N KIMSEY (ENG) 86 71,
158 R GOUVEIA (POR) 74 84,
159 M TRAINER (FRA) 80 79,
**
OUT M SIEM (GER) 72 RT, D WHITNELL (ENG) 82 WD, J GIRRBACH (SUI) 73 RT,