It seems like no tournament is safe from late chaos when Rory McIlroy is in contention. Our poor guy was cruising at gorgeous Royal County Down, holding a two shot lead over the field with just nine holes to play in this special event on home soil. But young gun Rasmus Hojgaard had other plans!
Rory McIlroy's difficult year continues/ PA
The 23-year-old Dane was only two back at the turn, but literally started making ridiculous things happen down the stretch. On 10, he almost took out some poor lady with an approach that hit her bag - awkward! - but still managed to pitch in. Birdies on 12 and 14 cut the deficit further, setting the scene for the craziest shots you'll ever see.
After pushing his drive right on the par-3 14th, it looked like trouble for Rasmus. But get this - the ball hit the steep bank and bounced straight back to within four feet! Talk about luck. He drained it of course because the golf gods were clearly on his side today. Four of the last five holes were then birdied, seeing him snatch the title from Rory's grasp as our man sadly fell apart with late bogeys.
I'm still in disbelief over the magic I witnessed from Rasmus Hojgaard down the stretch at Royal County Down. After bombarding the short par-4 16th with a ridiculous 40-yard bunker stroke, you'd think the shots couldn't get any better? Au contraire!
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On the next hole, it seemed our hero was dead and buried after another wayward drive found the heavy stuff. But then the kid pulls off possibly the shot of the YEAR by holing out from the sand! I mean are you actually kidding me right now?!
At that point it was clear the golfing gods had fully taken over Rasmus' ball, and he wasn't letting this Irish Open title slip through his fingers. A gutsy two-putt later on the monstrous 18th saw him sign for a jaw-dropping nine under 65 to get the W.
In his interview, even cool, calm and collected Rasmus admitted he was stunned watching himself down the stretch.
Rasmus Hojgaard snatched victory at the Irish Open with a remarkable comeback/ PA
What more can you say about the golden-boy Dane and his incredible shots down the stretch? In his post-round chat, Rasmus shed some light on those pivotal moments.
On 10, he wisely played for the fat part of the green but got a friendly lie. Still, nearly pitched it in regardless! And on 17, while worrying he may be plugged in the sand, the uphill lie gave him just enough confidence to somehow hole THAT bunker shot. Totally boss stuff.
Agony for Rory McIlroy.
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 15, 2024
Rasmus Højgaard wins the Amgen Irish Open 🏆#AmgenIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/eAZtCQmudV
As for Rory, it seemed those late dropped shots really took the wind out of his sails. Our man had looked so calm and collected, but the three-putt disaster on 17 surely stung deep. He rallied like the champion he is on 18 of course, almost holing it for epic playoff glory. But alas, it was not to be.
It's not often we see our guy Rory so visibly emotional after a tournament, but you had to feel for him after this agonizing Irish Open near-miss. The 35-year-old Belfast native spoke candidly about how gutted he was to lose out on winning this prestigious title on home soil.
Rory said he truly felt in control for most of the day at glorious Royal County Down, looking calm and composed as usual. But those dropped shots on 15 and 17 were all it took to let Rasmus back in. By his own admission, Rory knew missing the green way right on 15 was a cardinal sin.
Though he rallied like the champion he is, it still wasn't meant to be. When asked what this support from the loyal Northern Irish fans means to him, the raw emotion was clear. You could tell just how badly he wanted this win for them after growing up playing those very same links.
Rasmus Højgaard! 🇩🇰
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 15, 2024
He joins the lead in style.#AmgenIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/HS9Zd8sI3o
When asked about the recurring late heartbreak, he could only sigh "unfortunately, I'm getting used to it." But true competitor that he is, Rory remains hopeful the tide will soon turn in his favor.
Amidst the drama, little attention was paid to Matteo Manassero's top three finish. But his comeback is certainly one to cheer our guy on. Only four years ago, Matteo was struggling in obscurity on the Alps Tour. And just last season, he was still grinding away on the second-tier Challenge Tour.
To now be knocking on the door of the PGA Tour and a Euro Tour title is nothing short of inspiring. If a former winner like Matteo can rise from the ashes, maybe there's hope for Rory to turn this slump around as well. He certainly has the talent - it's only a matter of time before all those close calls start falling his way. The fans can't wait to see it!
