DP World Tour : Amgen Irish Open Results
Rory McIlroy struggled to hide his disappointment after missing out on a first professional win in his native Northern Ireland.
The World Number Three narrowly missed out on a play-off at the Amgen Irish Open as his eagle effort on the 18th narrowly missed.
A round of 69 saw him finish a shot behind Rasmus Højgaard, who produced a spectacular back nine in his 65 for a winning -9 total at Royal County Down.
A disappointed McIlroy, who missed out on a first major since 2014 when he bogeyed three of the last four holes in the U.S. Open Championship in June, said: “Unfortunately I’m getting used to it this year.
“Hopefully the tide is going to turn pretty soon, and I can turn all these close calls into victories.
“I must say, that roar when I hit that second shot on 18 was pretty cool. The support I got out there this week was absolutely amazing. I certainly don’t take it for granted.
“I had to try to keep my composure walking up to the 18th green there. Wish I could play in front of those fans and this atmosphere every week.
“From where I was at the start of the week and what I wanted to do, it’s a step in the right direction. You know, if anything, it just whets my appetite even more for Portrush (the Open Championship) next year.”
The World Number Three had taken a one-shot lead into the final round and made the ideal start with birdies on the first and second.
With playing partner Matteo Manassero then dropping shots on the third and fourth, McIlroy briefly enjoyed a four-shot lead before making a bogey on the seventh after failing to get up and down from left of the green.
McIlroy then missed from inside 10 feet for birdie on both the eighth and the ninth as Højgaard kickstarted his challenge with an outrageous chip-in for birdie on the 10th.
A birdie on the 11th edged McIlroy two in front again, but that advantage was wiped out as Højgaard birdied the 16th and McIlroy bogeyed the 15th.
Højgaard then dramatically holed out from a greenside bunker on the 17th and, although McIlroy drew level with a birdie on the 16th, the four-time Major winner charged his birdie putt on the 17th past the hole and missed the return.
Højgaard’s third birdie in a row on the 18th meant McIlroy needed to make an eagle on the same hole to force a play-off and a towering approach from 191 yards gave him a chance from 15 feet, only for the eagle putt to slide just wide.
While Sunday's results will go down in Irish lore as the one that Rory lost, my mind goes back to Friday when he went out early under in ideal weather and played RCD as well as you can but missed putt after putt and later admitted "I wished I'd taken better advantage of the better weather this morning to be honest "
Such is golf, now It's off to Wentworth for the BMW PGA Championship, another step on his way to the Race to Dubai Championship, which he has won 5 times.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus
No comments:
Post a Comment