Rory McIlroy admitted he’s “getting used” to near-misses and has set his sights on BMW PGA Championship victory after falling short in his bid for a fairytale home win at the Amgen Irish Open.
McIlroy took a one-shot lead into the final day at Royal County Down and briefly held a four-stroke advantage as he looked for his first victory in Northern Ireland as a professional, only to see his hopes unravel late in the round.
The world No 3 mixed two birdies with two bogeys over the closing holes and was unable to find a final-hole eagle to force a play-off against Rasmus Hojgaard, who birdied for the last five holes to snatch a dramatic one-shot victory.
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Rasmus Hojgaard finished the final day of the Irish Open in style, with birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th hole to set the winning total
“Felt like I was in control of the tournament for most of the day,” McIlroy said after his runner-up finish. “Felt like I was playing really solid, doing what I needed to do, making a lot of pars, making the odd birdie.
“Then obviously the two bogeys on 15 and 17 opened the door for someone to have a good finish like what Rasmus did there on the last few holes. Missing the green right on 15 was the place that you can’t go and just misjudged the speed with the first putt on 17.”
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After three-putting on the 17th hole at the Irish Open, Rory McIlroy needed an eagle on the final hole to force a play-off and came so close to getting it
“Overall, yeah, obviously really disappointed that I didn’t win but I’ll try to take the positives and move on next week to Wentworth.”
McIlroy’s finish is the second time in three months that he has squandered a two-shot lead over the closing holes of a tournament, having also missed out on a first major since 2014 when he bogeyed three of the last four holes at the US Open in June.
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Highlights from a thrilling final round of the US Open at Pinehurst No 2, where Bryson DeChambeau snatched victory ahead of Rory McIlroy
“Unfortunately I’m getting used to it this year,” McIlroy said about his latest runner-up finish. “Hopefully the tide is going to turn pretty soon, and I can turn all these close calls into victories.
“The support I got out there this week was absolutely amazing. I’ve had a great time being home. From where I was at the start of the week and what I wanted to do, it’s a step in the right direction. You know, if anything, it just whets my appetite even more for Portrush [The Open at Royal Portrush] next year.”
What went wrong for McIlroy?
McIlroy won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic earlier in the year and enjoyed back-to-back PGA Tour successes in the spring at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship, while former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes he will be frustrated to not add to his tally on home soil.
“Rory will be kicking himself that things turned against him at the wrong time,” McGinley told Sky Sports. “Two bogeys in the last four holes is going to hurt, although he made the birdies at the 16th and 18th.
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“He had the initiative around the turn with a two-shot lead but wasn’t able to extend it, like he did against Xander Schauffele at the Wells Fargo Championship, and run off into the distance. He wasn’t able to separate himself.
“That back nine, with two par-fives where you could get on in two and a driveable par-four, guys were coming and making birdies. McIlroy wasn’t able to get into that sixth gear that he has, move off and create a bit of daylight and the other guys were hanging around.
“I don’t think he threw it away in the way that he did at the US Open. He certainly bounced back from the mistakes that he made with birdies at the 16th and 18th. I know the finish was different and the golf course was different, but it’s one that slipped through his fingers.
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Sky Sports’ Wayne Riley and Dame Laura Davies analyse Rory McIlroy’s late collapse at the US Open and assess his ability to bounce back
“He didn’t lose it in those last four holes, in my opinion, he lost it around the turn when he should have got further ahead and separated himself and got away from a potential hot finish like what we saw from Hojgaard.
“I can’t say well done enough to Hojgaard. It was incredible how it switched as quickly as it did in the last hour of play. It’s a great storyline as much it is for McIlroy not winning in Northern Ireland.”
The DP World Tour heads to Wentworth next for the BMW PGA Championship, where McIlroy features and Ryan Fox is defending champion. Watch Featured Groups live on Thursday from 8.30am on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from midday. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and more with NOW.
