Straffan, Co Kildare, Ireland, Sep 8: Rory McIlroy’s amazing season continued with his second Amgen Irish Open title after defeating Joakim Lagergren in a dramatic play-off finish at the K Club on the DP World Tour.
McIlroy is in full flow with the BMW PGA and the Ryder Cup yet to come besides a host of other events, including one in India, which he will visit for the first time for the $ 4 million DP World India Championship next month.
Five-time Major winner McIlroy holed a 28-foot eagle putt on his 72nd hole to finish on 17-under par alongside Lagergren and force a play-off. Both players went close to eagles at the first time of asking before tidying up for matching birdies.
McIlroy’s approach on the second extra hole only just cleared the water but it was the same result as both players walked away with a birdie four.
At the third time attempt Lagergren found the water hazard, allowing McIlroy to win it with two putts and emulate his 2016 Amgen Irish Open victory at the same venue. It was his 20th DP World Tour win.
The Northern Irishman birdied the third extra hole to delight the home crowds and claim his first victory on European soil since becoming Europe’s first player to complete the career grand slam at the Masters in April.
Lagergren emerged from a five-way tie for the lead on Sunday’s back nine at The K Club with a superb round of 66 before losing in the play-off and finishing runner.
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, which was 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.
He birdied the fourth and then holed from 43 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.
McIlroy said, “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.
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 of my expectations. Just so, 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.”
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