Rasmus Hojgaard produced a exceptional end to grab a one-shot win on the Amgen Irish Open, as Rory McIlroy failed to shut out victory on dwelling soil.
McIlroy took a one-shot lead into the ultimate day at Royal County Down and briefly elevated his result in 4 strokes, just for Hojgaard to cost into competition with 4 birdies in his final 5 holes.
Hojgaard’s six-under 65 noticed him set the clubhouse goal at 9 below, as McIlroy’s hopes of a primary skilled win in Northern Eire – simply an hour from the place he grew up – pale when he bogeyed the par-four seventeenth.
McIlroy, who additionally squandered a two-shot lead over the closing holes on the US Open in June, required a final-hole eagle to pressure a play-off with Hojgaard however missed from 10 ft and completed his final-round 69 with a two-putt birdie.
Mattew Manassero completed two strokes again in third spot forward of Daniel Brown, whereas Robert MacIntyre and Grant Forrest ended the week in a share of fifth.
How Hojgaard surprised McIlroy in Northern Eire
McIlroy made the dream begin to his closing spherical when he two-putted from 80 ft to reap the benefits of the par-five first, then fired his strategy on the subsequent to tap-in vary for a second successive birdie.
Enjoying associate Manassero additionally birdied the primary however carded back-to-back bogeys from the third to briefly give McIlroy a four-shot benefit, earlier than the Northern Irishman missed from seven ft to avoid wasting par on the seventh.
McIlroy held a two-shot lead with 4 holes to go
McIlroy did not convert a birdie probability from 9 ft on the subsequent, the place Manassero rolled in from 15 ft to maneuver inside two, whereas Brown jumped a shot again from the in a single day chief after three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the ninth.
Hojgaard – enjoying two teams forward of McIlroy – was stage par for his spherical till he birdied the ninth and chipped in so as to add one other on the par-three subsequent, though his hopes gave the impression to be unsure when he cancelled out a birdie on the twelfth by bogeying the subsequent.
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Hojgaard completed the ultimate day of the Irish Open in type, closing out victory with birdies on the sixteenth, seventeenth and 18th holes
The world No 88 responded by birdieing the par-three 14th and changing from shut vary so as to add one other on the par-four sixteenth, earlier than grabbing the outright lead for the primary time when he holed out from the bunker on the par-three seventeenth.
McIlroy ended a run of pars with a 20-foot birdie on the eleventh and bounced again from a bogey on the fifteenth to birdie the par-four subsequent, though discovered himself behind once more when Hojgaard signed off his exceptional end with a two-putt birdie on the final.
A careless mistake noticed McIlroy three-putt the par-four seventeenth and fall two behind, with the Northern Irishman then hitting a towering strategy from 191 yards to 10 ft on the par-five final however narrowly lacking the eagle try.
McIlroy ‘disenchanted’ after lacking out on dwelling win
“I felt like I was in control of the tournament for most of the day,” McIlroy stated. “I 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.
McIlroy narrowly missed out on his first victory in Northern Eire as knowledgeable
“Unfortunately I played well this week, 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. Overall, obviously really disappointed that I didn’t win but I’ll try to take the positives and move on next week to Wentworth.”
Hojgaard, whose victory is his fifth on the DP World Tour, stated: “It’s a big confidence boost. I knew it was going to be hard to battle with him and the rest of the guys out there. Obviously seeing he made a bogey there on 17 obviously changed everything.
“It was tight all the way down to the last putt. It’s a great boost for me for the rest of the year.”
What’s subsequent?
The DP World Tour heads to Wentworth subsequent for the BMW PGA Championship, the place McIlroy options and Ryan Fox is defending champion. Watch Featured Teams stay on Thursday from 8.30am on Sky Sports activities Golf forward of full protection from 1pm. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and extra with NOW.
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