Still leading four holes from the end with a two-shot lead, Rory McIlroy managed to finish his game fiercely and in the end saw Rasmus Højgaard snatch the victory from him with successive three birdies in the last three holes. The Dane, who signed his 5th success here on the DP World Tour, won at -9 (275), one length ahead of world No. 3 still winless at home, in Northern Ireland, as a professional. The best Frenchman, Frédéric Lacroix finished in 17th place overall par thanks to a solid 66 (-5).
LV
Great results! While victory was promised to him, here, on his land, not far from Holywood, in Ulster, where he hit his first golf shots as a child, Rory McIlroy ultimately lost his national Open, by the slimmest of margins.
An impossible loss, not to mention incomprehensible because the current world number 3 has a game in hand this Sunday on the par 71 of The Royal County Down Golf Club bathed once on a fairly generous day and let the contrary wind prevail.
Leader at -6 after 54 holes with one step ahead of the Italian Matteo Manassero and three in a group of four chasing including Rasmus Højgaard – let’s get back to it – McIlroy perfectly launched his day, the one that finally crowned him in his homeland, five years after his bitter defeat in Tomorrow ouch Royal Portrush.
Two birdies on 1 then 2 allowed him to consolidate his lead and manage his small cushion of points to perfection. Even the first bogey on 7 never worried the four-time Major winner as a third birdie on 11 still put him two shots ahead of the competition.
Back-to-back birdies to start for Rory. His lead reached two shots 💪#AmgenIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/eRLvnSDc4R
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 15, 2024
And then as always happened to him, like these last holes Pinehurst during the final round ofUS Open in June, the Briton was overtaken by his old demons. A poor negotiation of the second shot on the attack on the domed green on 15 forced him to concede a second bogey, despite being quickly erased by a fourth birdie on 16. First warning!
Meanwhile, Rasmus Højgaard, launched like a predator on his future victim, lined up an incredible series of three birdies from 14 to 17, including a magnificent bunker exit on 17 giving him double command of the tournament at -8. Definitely warned by the scream that rose from this place, McIlroy, in the last part, then forced fate by finding a birdie on this same hole a few minutes later. But his powerful putt backfired, resulting in a lame three-putt. Bogey!
Rasmus Højgaard! 🇩🇰
He goes with the lead in style.#AmgenIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/HS9Zd8sI3o
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 15, 2024
One too many as the Dane didn’t budge on the par 5 18th with a final birdie, posting a card of 65 (-6) and a final score of -9. At -7 at the start of the 18th, Rory McIlroy had no choice. To make the play-off, he must make an eagle. A sublime 312 meter full fairway then a second shot that dropped 3.10 meters from the hole suggested anything was still possible. Unfortunately for a whole public who won his cause, McIlroy was content with a birdie, which came to finish “die” a length behind the player caddyed by the Franco-English. Tom Ayling.
Pain for Rory McIlroy.
Rasmus Højgaard won the Amgen Irish Open 🏆#AmgenIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/eAZtCQmudV
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 15, 2024
The latter, placed in the clubhouse in front of a television, put his head in his hands, not yet realizing that he had just won the fifth success of DP World Tour. Perhaps the most beautiful because it almost guarantees him one of the ten places in the Race promised for PGA Tour 2025where his brother Nicolai is already playing!
We almost forgot that Matteo Manassero, only third at -7 (277) in this absolutely crazy Irish Open 2024, also consolidated his position in the Race, entering the 9th place and looking more and more on this PGA Tour. Just two years ago, the Italian came out of the five seasons of hell, dragging his bag and his yips to theTouring the Alpsthe 3rd European division…
On the French side, after a Saturday in laundry mode and finished with 78 (+7), Frédéric Lacroix for his part, returned to the track this Sunday with a remarkable 66 (-5) that allowed him to grab the final 17th place. Racingman, just won in Denmark, keeps his 15th place in the Race!
The leaderboard
The French leaderboard
