Rory McIlroy admitted he’s “getting used” to near-misses and has set his sights on BMW PGA Championship victory after falling brief in his bid for a fairytale house win on the Amgen Irish Open.
McIlroy took a one-shot lead into the ultimate day at Royal County Down and briefly held a four-stroke benefit as he appeared for his first victory in Northern Eire as an expert, solely to see his hopes unravel late within the spherical.
The world No 3 blended two birdies with two bogeys over the closing holes and was unable to discover a final-hole eagle to power a play-off towards Rasmus Hojgaard, who birdied for the final 5 holes to grab a dramatic one-shot victory.
“Felt like I was in control of the tournament for most of the day,” McIlroy stated after his runner-up end. “Felt like I was playing really solid, doing what I needed to do, making a lot of pars, making the odd birdie.
“Then clearly the 2 bogeys on 15 and 17 opened the door for somebody to have a superb end like what Rasmus did there on the previous couple of holes. Lacking the inexperienced proper on 15 was the place which you could’t go and simply misjudged the pace with the primary putt on 17.”
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After three-putting on the seventeenth gap on the Irish Open, Rory McIlroy wanted an eagle on the ultimate gap to power a play-off and got here so near getting it
“Overall, yeah, obviously really disappointed that I didn’t win but I’ll try to take the positives and move on next week to Wentworth.”
McIlroy’s end is the second time in three months that he has squandered a two-shot lead over the closing holes of a event, having additionally missed out on a primary main since 2014 when he bogeyed three of the final 4 holes on the US Open in June.
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Highlights from an exhilarating remaining spherical of the US Open at Pinehurst No 2, the place Bryson DeChambeau snatched victory forward of Rory McIlroy
“Unfortunately I’m getting used to it this year,” McIlroy stated about his newest runner-up end. “Hopefully the tide is going to turn pretty soon, and I can turn all these close calls into victories.
“The assist I received on the market this week was completely wonderful. I’ve had a good time being house. From the place I used to be firstly of the week and what I needed to do, it is a step in the fitting route. You understand, if something, it simply whets my urge for food much more for Portrush [The Open at Royal Portrush] subsequent yr.”
What went incorrect for McIlroy?
McIlroy gained the Hero Dubai Desert Basic earlier within the yr and loved back-to-back PGA Tour successes within the spring on the Zurich Basic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship, whereas former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes he might be pissed off to not add to his tally on house soil.
“Rory will be kicking himself that things turned against him at the wrong time,” McGinley informed Sky Sports activities. “Two bogeys within the final 4 holes goes to harm, though he made the birdies on the sixteenth and 18th.
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“He had the initiative around the turn with a two-shot lead but wasn’t able to extend it, like he did against Xander Schauffele at the Wells Fargo Championship, and run off into the distance. He wasn’t able to separate himself.
“That again 9, with two par-fives the place you could possibly get on in two and a driveable par-four, guys have been coming and making birdies. McIlroy wasn’t in a position to get into that sixth gear that he has, transfer off and create a little bit of daylight and the opposite guys have been hanging round.
“I do not suppose he threw it away in the best way that he did on the US Open. He definitely bounced again from the errors that he made with birdies on the sixteenth and 18th. I do know the end was completely different and the golf course was completely different, nevertheless it’s one which slipped by means of his fingers.
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Sky Sports activities’ Wayne Riley and Dame Laura Davies analyse Rory McIlroy’s late collapse on the US Open and assess his capacity to bounce again
“He didn’t lose it in those last four holes, in my opinion, he lost it around the turn when he should have got further ahead and separated himself and got away from a potential hot finish like what we saw from Hojgaard.
“I can not say effectively achieved sufficient to Hojgaard. It was unimaginable the way it switched as rapidly because it did within the final hour of play. It is an important storyline as a lot it’s for McIlroy not successful in Northern Eire.”
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 midday. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and extra with NOW.
