McIlroy denied by Hojgaard in Irish Open thriller

McIlroy was unable to take Hojgaard into extra holes in a nerve-shredding conclusion at Royal County Down

Irish Open final leaderboard

-9 R Hojgaard (Den); -8 R McIlroy (NI); -7 M Manassero (Ita); -6 D Brown (Eng); -5 R MacIntyre (Sco), G Forrest (Sco)

Selected: -1 S Lowry (Ire); +1 S Power (Ire); +2 T McKibbin (NI)

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Rory McIlroy was denied a fairytale win in front of his home fans as Rasmus Hojgaard produced a storming finish to win the Irish Open by one shot in a hugely dramatic final round at Royal County Down.

Overnight leader McIlroy led by four shots early in the round but dropped shots at 15 and 17 proved costly as Hojgaard birdied four of the last five holes to shoot 65 and snatch his fifth DP World Tour title.

With the Dane having posted a nine-under total, McIlroy needed to eagle the last hole to force a play-off but his putt slipped by on the right edge.

Hojgaard, brilliant on the day, surged to the finish line with the highlight of his back-nine 31 a brilliantly holed bunker shot at the par-four 17th.

While the 23-year-old - who emulates countryman Soren Kjeldsen's triumph at this course in 2015 - can celebrate a superb victory, it is yet another agonising near-miss for McIlroy in a season where he has squandered a golden chance to win the US Open and an Olympic medal slipped through his grasp.

"I felt like I was in control of the tournament for most of the day. I felt I was playing really solid and doing what I needed to do. Making a lot of pars, making the odd birdie," he said.

"Then obviously the two bogeys on 15 and 17 opened the door for someone to have a good finish like what Rasmus did on the last few holes."

Italy's Matteo Manassero finished third on seven under with England's Dan Brown a further shot back in fourth after a closing 66 in which he finished with six straight pars.

In a remarkable finish, McIlroy's dropped shot at 17 coupled with Hojgaard's closing birdie meant the four-time major winner needed an improbable eagle to take the Dane to extra holes.

And having boomed a drive up the fairway, McIlroy gave himself a chance when he drilled an excellent seven-iron to 10 feet. But his putt agonisingly shaved the right edge of the cup as he was denied the perfect end to a memorable week on the sun-kissed Newcastle links.

It is another impressive result in the young career of Hojgaard, though. His identical twin brother Nicolai made the European Ryder Cup team last year but they could both be in Luke Donald's squad heading to New York next year if he continues to produce golf of this quality.

Starting the day three back of McIlroy, he had to wait until the fifth for his opening birdie. And while he gave one back at eight, he kick-started his challenge with three birdies in four from the ninth that included a chip-in at 10.

A dropped shot on 13 briefly threatened to derail his bid but his birdies on 14, 16, 17 and 18 allowed him to pip McIlroy in a gripping duel that went down to the wire.

"This feels pretty good," said Hojgaard.

"There were a lot of nerves coming down the stretch."

He added: "I was trying to get to a number, eight-under, today and see if that would have a chance. Obviously, I holed out a few times and get to nine-under."

Hojgaard's win at Royal County Down was his fifth on the DP World Tour and first since July 2023

More heartache for McIlroy

This will be another bitter pill for McIlroy to swallow at the end of a week that for a long time promised to deliver one of the most stirring wins of his career.

Having finished his third round with an untidy bogey six, he got moving in the right direction immediately with a birdie at the par-five first, the easiest hole on the course, producing an early roar from the huge crowds that followed him in perfect scoring conditions.

He knocked his approach to kick-in distance at the second and moved to eight-under, but his momentum stalled thereafter. After a run of four pars, he dropped a shot at the par-three seventh after failing to get up and down from left of the green.

A sense of frustration grew over the next two holes, passing up presentable birdie chances on both. But with Brown and Hojgaard keeping the pressure up, Manassero and McIlroy made timely birdies on the 11th, with the Irishman's effort moving him two clear with seven to play.

Failing to pick up a birdie on the par-five 12th, McIlroy parred 13 and 14 before a rollercoaster finish. Following a dropped shot at 15, he got back into a tie with Hojgaard with a birdie at 16.

But he came unstuck at the penultimate hole as he rushed his birdie putt way past the hole and failed to convert the par try coming back.

And despite a valiant effort at the final hole, McIlroy was unable to elude another gut-wrenching miss on a big stage.