Rasmus Hojgaard produced a remarkable finish to snatch a one-shot win at the Amgen Irish Open, as Rory McIlroy failed to close out victory on home soil.
McIlroy took a one-shot lead into the final day at Royal County Down and briefly increased his lead to four strokes, only for Hojgaard to charge into contention with four birdies in his last five holes.
Hojgaard’s six-under 65 saw him set the clubhouse target at nine under, as McIlroy’s hopes of a first professional win in Northern Ireland – just an hour from where he grew up – faded when he bogeyed the par-four 17th.
McIlroy, who also squandered a two-shot lead over the closing holes at the US Open in June, required a final-hole eagle to force a play-off with Hojgaard but missed from 10 feet and finished his final-round 69 with a two-putt birdie.
Mattew Manassero finished two strokes back in third spot ahead of Daniel Brown, while Robert MacIntyre and Grant Forrest ended the week in a share of fifth.
How Hojgaard stunned McIlroy in Northern Ireland
McIlroy made the dream start to his final round when he two-putted from 80 feet to take advantage of the par-five first, then fired his approach at the next to tap-in range for a second successive birdie.
Playing partner Manassero also birdied the first but carded back-to-back bogeys from the third to temporarily give McIlroy a four-shot advantage, before the Northern Irishman missed from seven feet to save par at the seventh.
McIlroy held a two-shot lead with four holes to go
McIlroy failed to convert a birdie chance from nine feet at the next, where Manassero rolled in from 15 feet to move within two, while Brown jumped a shot back from the overnight leader after three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the ninth.
Hojgaard – playing two groups ahead of McIlroy – was level par for his round until he birdied the ninth and chipped in to add another at the par-three next, although his hopes appeared to be in doubt when he cancelled out a birdie at the 12th by bogeying the next.
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Hojgaard finished the final day of the Irish Open in style, closing out victory with birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes
The world No 88 responded by birdieing the par-three 14th and converting from close range to add another at the par-four 16th, before grabbing the outright lead for the first time when he holed out from the bunker at the par-three 17th.
McIlroy ended a run of pars with a 20-foot birdie at the 11th and bounced back from a bogey at the 15th to birdie the par-four next, although found himself behind again when Hojgaard signed off his remarkable finish with a two-putt birdie at the last.
A careless mistake saw McIlroy three-putt the par-four 17th and fall two behind, with the Northern Irishman then hitting a towering approach from 191 yards to 10 feet at the par-five last but narrowly missing the eagle attempt.
McIlroy ‘disappointed’ after missing out on home win
“I felt like I was in control of the tournament for most of the day,” McIlroy said. “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 Ireland as a professional
“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, said: “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 next?
The DP World Tour heads to Wentworth next for the BMW PGA Championship, where McIlroy features and Ryan Fox is defending champion. Watch Featured Groups live on Thursday from 8.30am on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 1pm. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and more with NOW.
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