Rory Mcilroy Savours Home Win After Thrilling Irish Open Playoff Victory

Rory McIlroy savoured “a beautiful cool year” aft adding a 2nd Irish Open title to his Masters win. The world No 2 completed nan profession expansive slam pinch nan triumph astatine Augusta successful April and added to that by winning his location unfastened for nan 2nd clip pinch a thrilling playoff triumph against Joakim Lagergren.

McIlroy had to eagle nan 72nd spread conscionable to return it to a playoff aft Lagergren’s ain stunning eagle astatine nan 16th. After nan first 2 other holes were tied successful birdie fours, Lagergren recovered nan h2o hazard 3rd clip astir to let McIlroy to triumph it pinch 2 putts.

McIlroy, who besides triumphed successful this arena astatine nan aforesaid venue successful 2016, said: “I conscionable consciousness truthful fortunate that I get to do this successful beforehand of these people. The support has been astonishing each week. So happy I could play nan measurement I did this week and get nan win.

“I had a putt past twelvemonth astatine [Royal County Down] to unit a playoff pinch Rasmus [Højgaard] and it conscionable missed connected nan precocious side, truthful it felt for illustration (the eagle astatine nan 18th) was a small spot of redemption. I wanted to beryllium fierce pinch it - specified a cool feeling, cool infinitesimal for that to spell in, and that gave maine a chance successful nan playoff.

“It conscionable felt for illustration it was who was going to blink first. Joakim deed a mediocre 2nd changeable successful connected that playoff spread and that opened nan doorway for me, and I’m conscionable truthful happy to triumph my 2nd Irish Open.”

With a Ryder Cup to travel astatine Bethpage later this month, McIlroy said: “To do what I did earlier successful nan twelvemonth and past to travel location and triumph my nationalist Open, nary matter what happens for nan remainder of nan year, that’s a beautiful cool twelvemonth – 2025’s going to beryllium 1 of nan best, if not nan best, of my career.

“But we’re not vanished yet, I’ve sewage a large week adjacent week astatine Wentworth [the BMW PGA Championship] and past evidently everybody’s looking guardant to nan Ryder Cup.”

McIlroy and Lagergren had been successful a five-way necktie for nan lead connected 14 nether erstwhile nan last group turned for location connected Sunday.

Angel Hidalgo, 2nd overnight aft a stunning 63 connected Saturday, vanished successful a necktie for 3rd connected 15 nether pinch Rafa Cabrera Bello, who sparked his situation into life pinch a spread successful 1 astatine nan third. A 3rd Spaniard, Angel Ayora, was 5th alongside nan third-round leader Adrien Saddier.