Rory McIlroy has won the Irish Open after defeating Joakim Lagergren in a playoff at The K Club, with the victory coming at just the right time ahead of the Ryder Cup
Rory McIlroy secured victory at the Amgen Irish Open with a play-off win over Swedish golfer Joakim Lagergren
Rory McIlroy will be entering this month’s Ryder Cup as Irish Open champion after a thrilling final round at The K Club on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman backed up a dazzling second round on Saturday with another solid performance on the final day at the five-star resort in Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland, to tie at -17 (66) with Swedish golfer Joakim Lagergren and push the tournament into a playoff.
During the playoff, they battled through three extra holes before McIlroy eventually secured victory, capitalizing on Lagergren’s approach shot finding the water to sink an eagle putt for the win and capture his first triumph since the Masters in April.
After achieving his career Grand Slam, McIlroy has endured a challenging few months. He posted disappointing results at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open before barely falling short at the Genesis Scottish Open.
But he has now finally rediscovered his winning form at the perfect moment as the 2025 Ryder Cup approaches, with McIlroy at last delivering on his Masters remarks from July.
After a strong second round at the Scottish Open, McIlroy declared that he was nearly back to his peak when questioned about whether he felt everything was clicking at the ideal time.
“I think… I think I’m just back to… pretty close to being back to the level I was at going into the Masters,” McIlroy told Mirror US Sports. “I think I’ve had a little bit of a lull, which is understandable. I just feel like I’m getting back to the level I can play at.”
Rory McIlroy produced a brilliant performance to win the Irish Open
Despite losing to American golfer Chris Gotterup by two strokes in Scotland, Rory McIlroy has finally clinched his next victory after beating Lagergren in a playoff at the Irish Open this weekend.
The final round was a thrilling showdown as McIlroy battled it out with three other golfers under challenging conditions, but the Northern Irishman refused to back down. This determination was epitomized when he scored a spectacular eagle on the last hole, denying Lagergren the win.
Lagergren had a two-shot lead after scoring another birdie on the 18th, but McIlroy made an extraordinary putt that took the game to a playoff and sent the crowd at The K Club into a frenzy.
McIlroy had previously lost the 2024 Irish Open to Rasmus Hojgaard at Royal County Down by one shot and found himself in a similar situation a year later, needing an eagle on the 18th.
This time around, he made sure history didn’t repeat itself, but there was still a lot of work ahead. Lagergren kicked off the 18th with a fantastic drive, which McIlroy matched with an equally impressive drive.
Lagergren then missed his eagle shot, and McIlroy followed suit, missing by just an inch, forcing them into a second playoff hole to determine the winner.
Returning to the 18th tee, Lagergren was up first again, and both he and McIlroy delivered equally impressive drives. However, McIlroy flubbed his second shot, giving Lagergren a chance to win with just a putt, but he failed to seize the opportunity.
McIlroy drained his eagle putt on the 18th green during Sunday’s final round
Finally, on his third attempt, McIlroy seized the opportunity when Lagergren’s approach landed in the water, sinking an eagle putt to win and triggering ecstatic celebrations among the Irish Open spectators.
This triumph gives McIlroy the ideal momentum boost ahead of this month’s Ryder Cup, scheduled to take place at Bethpage Black in New York from September 26 to 28.
At the event, he’ll strive to assist Team Europe in not only retaining its title but also securing its first victory on American soil since 2012, and he couldn’t be better prepared for the challenge.