Everything you need to know from last week's Amgen Irish Open.
Rory McIlroy wins second Amgen Irish Open title after play-off
Rory McIlroy beat Joakim Lagergren in a play-off to win the 2025 Amgen Irish Open after a thrilling finish at The K Club.
Lagergren emerged from a five-way tie for the lead on Sunday's back nine with a superb round of 66 and looked to have struck the decisive blow with a magnificent 266-yard approach to five feet to set up an eagle at the 16th.
McIlroy, though, responded with a 28-foot putt to eagle the last and extend the tournament to a 73rd hole, where both players went close to eagles before tidying up for matching birdies.
McIlroy's approach next time round only just cleared the water but it was the same result. At the third time of asking Lagergren found the water hazard, allowing McIlroy to win it with two putts and emulate his 2016 victory at the same venue.
"I just feel so lucky that I get to do this in front of these people, the support has been amazing all week,” said McIlroy. “So happy I could play the way I did this week and get the win."
The win was another highlight in McIlroy's season after his Masters triumph in April which completed a career Grand Slam.
Fans enjoy Q&A session as McIlroy brings Green Jacket
After Thursday’s first round, McIlroy treated the Irish crowds to a special Q&A.
After an introduction of his trophies from the three other Major Championships – having won the U.S. Open in 2011, the US PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014 and The Open Championship in the latter year – the World Number Two was brought on to stage wearing the Green Jacket for the first time publicly in Ireland.
Asked to reflect on his Masters success, which came after he edged out fellow DP World Tour veteran Justin Rose in a play-off, a relaxed and jovial McIlroy said: “If I was ever going to win the Masters, it was going to have to happen that way – an absolute mess of a back nine!
“But thankfully it all worked out in the end. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of doing, there’s videos of me when I'm seven years old saying I want to be the best player in the world and I want to win all the Majors. I’ve been very lucky to have a lot of my dreams come true and this was the final one, and it’s certainly lived up to expectations.”
Lagergren falls just short of K Club double
Lagergren regained his DP World Tour card for this season through the HotelPlanner Tour, winning at The K Club last year on the way.
That victory came over the Palmer South, with the island of Ireland’s national open held over the Palmer North – fondly remembered as a host venue of the 2006 Ryder Cup.
Only denied a brilliant double at the venue by brilliance from McIlroy, Lagergren admitted it was a “tough one to swallow” as he missed out on winning his second DP World Tour title.
But the Swede, who also finished runner-up at the KLM Open earlier this season, was left to console himself with making a big move up the Race to Dubai Rankings, securing his place at the DP World Tour Play-Offs.
“It feels like I'm definitely back and playing at a level where I want to play,” said Lagergen, who won the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open in 2018.
“A top ten last week [at the Omega European Masters] and then losing in play-off this week. So yeah, it [his game] feels like it's trending.”
Cabrera-Bello hits final-round ace
A four-time winner on the DP World Tour, Rafa Cabrera Bello has not been a presence at the top of leaderboards for a while, but he gave everyone a reminder class is permanent as he finished in a tie for third – his best finish since June 2004.
A hole-in-one at the third was the highlight of a final-round 67 that helped the 2016 Ryder Cupper ensure he will keep his card for another season.
It was the 24th ace of the 2025 Race to Dubai campaign.
Well done, Rafa!
Lowry makes a wish come true
Make-A-Wish Ireland was the official Charity Partner for the fourth consecutive year at the tournament, with €170,000 raised which will help children between the ages of three and 17 living with life-threatening medical conditions.
In remission from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, golf has become a big part of Dáire Coyle’s life, and the 11-year-old saw a wish to play with one of Ireland’s greatest golfers fulfilled at The K Club.
As they walked the course on Wednesday, Shane Lowry encouraged Dáire to “ask me anything” – and the youngster knew exactly what he had in mind.
“Could you keep playing for nine to ten years,” he began, “So I can play against you on a Sunday?”
“So when you’re 20?” Lowry replied. “When you’re 20, I’ll be 47 – God, I hope I’m playing in ten years.”
Speaking at his pre-tournament press conference earlier in the week, Lowry said: “We obviously are involved with them, and the Irish Open is involved with them every year, and what they do here is pretty cool. It was nice to be involved with that."
