Heartbreak for Rory McIlroy as Rasmus Hojgaard wins Irish Open

Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard produced a brilliant finish to win the Amgen Irish Open as Rory McIlroy suffered a second heartbreaking loss of the year.

McIlroy looked on course to claim his first professional win on home soil when he led by two shots with four holes to play at Royal County Down, just an hour from where he grew up.

But while Hojgaard completed a superb closing 65 with four birdies in the last five holes, McIlroy crucially bogeyed the 17th and then agonisingly missed an eagle putt on the 18th which would have forced a play-off.

Rasmus Højgaard is the 2024 @IrishOpen_ Champion