Rory McIlroy Claims Irish Open Thriller After Dramatic Playoff

WHICH WAY IS THIS GOING TO GO?

Hello all, and welcome to our final round coverage of the Amgen Irish Open, where it really is anyone's to win!

Adrien Saddier led going into the final round but, with nine holes remaining, we have a five-way share for the lead which includes five-time Major winner Rory McIlroy.

It's set-up for a thrilling finale at The K Club, where a lot of prize money and Race to Dubai points are up for grabs...

BUNKERS FOUND AT THE 12TH

McIlroy and Garcia-Heredia play delightful tee shots in to the par 3 12th but, with irons in hand, they just over club and find the bunker at the back of the green.

Thankfully, the sand looks freshly raked, so both have good lies and a good chance of getting up-and-down or, potentially, holing it, for birdie.

BIG SAVE FROM RORY

Playing an average bunker shot, McIlroy holes an important par putt from seven-feet to keep in the five-way tie for first at 14-under.

In his pairing, Garcia-Heredia also makes an up-and-down, with the Spaniard playing a gorgeous bunker shot to near gimme range at the par 3 12th.

IF YOU MISSED IT EARLIER

Rafa Cabrera-Bello hasn't won on the DP World Tour since the 2021 Open de Espana but, in Ireland, he is in the hunt for a fifth title on the circuit.

Earlier on, the Spaniard made this incredible hole-in-one at the par 3 third, with Cabrera-Bello following it up with a birdie at the par 5 fourth. He is four-under for his round.

AYORA TO 13-UNDER

We have a five-way tie for first at 14-under and, just one shot back, is Angel Ayora, who birdies the par 5 16th to get to 13-under.

SADDIER DROPS A SHOT

The overnight leader has struggled today and, at the par 3 12th, he misses his par putt on the right-side. He falls back to 13-under and out of the five-way share of the lead.

BIG FAN OF HIDALGO

I am a big fan of Angel Hidalgo, the man is box office! Parring the 12th, the Spaniard lets rip on the 13th, producing some incredible recoil and a swing that would put me in hospital if I tried it!

RORY McILROY IS YOUR NEW LEADER

Finding the fairway with his tee shot, McIlroy plays a delightful wedge to eight-foot and, with the putter in hand, his birdie attempt falls in the right-side.

He is the first player to move to 15-under, with the 36-year-old now the outright leader. Following up his birdie, he pounds a 200-yard 8-iron into the par 3 14th, finishing 25-foot from the flag.

JUST MAKES THE PUTT...

HIDALGO JOINS RORY

Hidalgo pounds his tee shot down the 13th and, with a wedge in hand, he puts it to six-feet for a birdie.

The birdie putt is to join McIlroy at 15-under and, taking the putter back, it falls into the center of the hole, putting the Spaniard into a share of the lead.

HUGE BREAK FROM RORY

Wow... Playing the 15th, McIlroy pushes his drive right but, somehow, it doesn't find the water, finishing just a foot shy of the hazard...

That is a massive break for the five-time Major winner, who will now have just under 150 yards to the flag at the tough par.

Behind McIlroy, Hidalgo finds the bunker at the par 3 14th, while Cabrera-Bello plays a beauty of a bunker shot at the par 5 16th, leaving himself a great look at birdie to join the lead.

THREE-WAY TIE FOR THE LEAD

Following his excellent bunker shot, Cabrera-Bello holes a five-footer for birdie to move to 15-under, joining McIlroy and Hidalgo at the top of the leaderboard.

HIDALGO MAKES BOGEY

The Spaniard briefly shared the lead but, following an average bunker shot at the par 3 14th, his putt misses on the left-side, with Hidalgo tapping-in for bogey.

He falls back to 14-under, one back of McIlroy and Cabrera-Bello, who has pushed his tee shot right at the tough 17th hole.

WHAT A SHOT FROM LAGERGREN

Shot of the day? I'd say so! Joakim Lagergren finds the fairway with his tee shot at the 16th and, from 265 yards, the Swede sticks it to five-feet.

He will have that eagle putt to move to 16-under and leapfrog Cabrera-Bello and McIlroy at 15-under, with Cabrera-Bello playing the 17th and McIlroy making his way to the par 5 16th.

LAY-UP INCOMING FOR RORY WHILE LAGERGREN TAKES THE LEAD

Playing the par 5 16th, McIlroy hits a hook with the driver and will be forced to lay-up. The tee shot is, almost, a carbon copy of yesterday, where the 36-year-old made a par following a poor tee shot.

Up ahead, Lagergren slams his putt into the center of the cup and makes an eagle at the perfect time. He is the solo leader at 16-under!

UNREAL FROM LAGERGREN

CABRERA-BELLO PARS THE 17TH

Following a poor drive, Cabrera-Bello plays a great second shot and two putts for a par to remain at 15-under, one back of Lagergren.

He heads to the par 5 18th needing a birdie to tie the Swede, who has also found the right rough with his tee shot at the 17th.

PAR AT THE 16TH

After chipping out, McIlroy's third shot is very conservative and leaves himself 30-feet for a birdie. Striking his putt, it's on a good line, but comes up a foot short, leaving him a tap-in par to remain at 15-under.

Up ahead, Lagergren finds the green with his second shot at the par 4 17th, with his putt sliding by the left-side, leaving himself a par to remain at 16-under.

Cabrera-Bello, who is one shot back of Lagergren, finds the rough off the tee and is forced to lay-up with his second. He'll need to get up-and-down to join the Swede at 16-under.

FIRST CUT FOUND FOR RORY

Playing the 17th, which is the toughest hole of the week, McIlroy fans his tee shot right and finds the first cut. He will have around 170 yards to the flag and will, realistically, need to find a birdie to put pressure on Lagergren.

CLOSING 67 FOR RAFA

Laying up with his second, Cabrera-Bello fires his third into the green from 100 yards, finishing 10-foot from the flag after a classy wedge.

Needing to hole the putt to get to 16-under, it misses on the right-side, with the Spaniard tapping in for a par and a five-under 67.

He will come up short of victory, especially as Lagergren finds the fairway with his tee shot at the 18th, leaving around 215 yards into the last.

HIDALGO GETS TO 15-UNDER

He's not done here at The K Club! Hidalgo pars the 15th and, at the par 5 16th, makes a birdie to get to 15-under, one back of Lagergren.

APPROACH AT THE 18TH

Producing a 330 yard drive at the 18th, Lagergren puts his long iron to the right-side of the green, leaving a treacherous 60-footer for eagle.

Realistically, he will be looking at a two putt for birdie, which would put him 17-under, two clear of McIlroy and Hidalgo.

In terms of McIlroy, he pars the 17th to remain 15-under, while Hidalgo is waiting on the 17th tee.

FAIRWAY FOUND AT THE 18TH

McIlroy needs a birdie, or an eagle, at the last and, with his tee shot, he pounds his drive well down the fairway, leaving himself just over 200 yards into the green.

LAGERGREN FINISHES 17-UNDER

Excellent performance from Lagergren, who two putts from 60-foot at the last to fire a six-under 66 and set the clubhouse target at 17-under.

He currently leads McIlroy and Hidalgo by two shots, with both men still on the course. McIlroy needs to eagle the final hole, while Hidalgo finds the front edge of the green at the 17th. He will need to hole that and birdie the last to reach the 17-under total...

HE WILL HAVE AN EAGLE PUTT

McIlroy has 201 yards into the green and, with a mid-iron in hand, his approach is right down the flag.

It finishes 28-foot from the hole, leaving himself an eagle chance. There has been one eagle all day at the 18th, which came from Marcus Armitage, but you never know, this is Rory McIlroy we are on about...

BIRDIE AT THE LAST

HE'S DONE IT

Wow! Rory McIlroy eagles the last to join Lagergren at 17-under!

That's incredible from the five-time Major winner, who pounds his 30-footer into the center of the hole to get to 17-under and all but secure a playoff against Lagergren.

HIDALGO FINDS THE FAIRWAY

Among the drama of McIlroy at the 18th, Hidalgo puts his tee shot down the center of the fairway, leaving himself 230 yards into the green.

If he eagles the last he will join McIlroy and Lagergren in the playoff, so this could be even more exciting!

NO WORDS...

VALIANT EFFORT FROM HIDALGO

Leaving a long second shot into the green, Hidalgo blazes his approach to the right-side of the green, leaving a 75-footer for eagle.

If he holes that putt, he will join Lagergren and McIlroy in the playoff, but his putt comes up five-foot short. It's a valiant effort but, to compound the misery, the Spaniard makes par to stay in a share of third with Cabrera-Bello at 15-under.

In his group, overnight leader Saddier birdies the final hole for a two-over 74. It wasn't the Frenchman's day, as he finishes joint fifth with Angel Ayora at 13-under.

TEE SHOTS AT THE 18TH

It's advantage Lagergren, who pounds his tee shot down the fairway and leaves under 200 yards to the pin.

McIlroy is next up and, with his drive, he pulls it left but gets a soft bounce. He will hit first into the green at the 18th.

McILROY SLIGHTLY CLOSER FOR THE SECOND

McIlroy is the first player to hit into the green at the 18th and, from 220 yards, he fires a solid iron shot to the center of the green, leaving around a similar distance for eagle.

Lagergren, who is 20 yards ahead of McIlroy, pushes his second slightly right, coming up fractionally shorter than McIlroy's approach.

In terms of putting, Lagergren will putt first on the final hole.

GREAT EFFORT FROM LAGERGREN

It's an excellent effort from Lagergren, whose eagle putt just slides by the left-side. It's a tap-in birdie for the Swede, who now waits to see what McIlroy does with his effort. The putt is for the title...

NARROW MISS FOR RORY

That was so close from McIlroy... Leaving a similar putt to Lagergren, his effort looks bang on line but, somehow, it stays on the right-edge, narrowly missing for eagle.

McIlroy also taps in, meaning the hole is halved in fours. We now head back up the 18th for the second playoff hole.

FAIRWAYS FOUND AT THE 18TH

Lagergren is first to tee off and, with his driver, he once again finds the center of the fairway to leave himself a 210 yarder into the green.

McIlroy stands up next and, with the driver in hand, he outdrives the Swede, leaving himself around 10 yards closer than Lagergren.

ADVANTAGE LAGERGREN

Lagergren is around 20 yards back from McIlroy and, with an iron in hand, the Swede finds the center of the green, leaving a similar putt to that of McIlroy at the first playoff hole.

The door is slightly ajar for McIlroy but, with his approach, he chunks it and it finds the front edge of the green. It will be a tricky two putt for the five-time Major winner, as Lagergren has the slight advantage here...

MORE DRAMA

McIlroy gives his eagle putt a good go, but it slides by the right-side and leaves a five-footer coming back.

Lagergren is much closer and, with a putt for the win, he gives it a great go, but it also slides by, leaving a near identical putt to McIlroy's coming back.

TIED IN BIRDIES

McIlroy is first to go and, from five-foot, he holes his birdie putt, putting immense pressure on Lagergren. The 33-year-old is up for the challenge, though, as he rams his putt home to tie with birdies and move us to a third playoff hole.

ADVANTAGE LAGERGREN

Lagergren tees it up first and, once again, he finds the center of the fairway, leaving a similar yardage to that of 15 minutes ago.

Something has to give and, with his drive, McIlroy has one hand off his tee shot but, thankfully for him, it ends up in the rough with a decent lie.

He should be able to go for the green, with it leaving a shorter approach. Lagergren, though, is on the fairway, which is a big bonus.

LAGERGREN FINDS THE WATER

The Swede pulls his second shot from the fairway and it rolls into the water to the left of the green!

It's a red stake, so he should be able to drop near the green, but that is a big mistake from Lagergren, who had a great chance to put pressure on McIlroy, who found the rough with his tee shot.

In terms of McIlroy, he gouges his second out of the rough and finds the right-side of the green. It's a lengthy two putt, but it's advantage to the home-hero.

RORY McILROY WINS THE AMGEN IRISH OPEN

A SECOND TITLE FOR RORY

Putting first, McIlroy lags his putt up superbly and leaves himself just inches from the hole.

Tapping in for a birdie, Lagergren needs to hole his chip shot for the half, but it slides by the right-side, handing the title to McIlroy for a second time.

WINNING MOMENT ON THE 18TH

IRISH OPEN NO.2