Rory McIlroy after a birdie putt on the 11th
Rory McIlroy added another chapter to an ‘annus horribilis’ of near misses when he threw away a four-shot lead to lose the Amgen Irish Open to charging Dane Rasmus Hojgaard at Royal County Down
The Co Down man was bidding to join the great Harry Bradshaw as only the second Irish golfer to win the title twice.
But after racing four shots clear of the field through four holes, he finished a shot behind Hojgaard, who birdied four of his last five holes to card a six-under 65 and win by a shot on nine-under from McIlroy, who shot 69.
The Co Down man three-putted the 17th to find himself two shots behind but needing an eagle at the last, he hit a brilliant 191-yard seven iron to 10 feet only to watch his putt slip past the edge.
It was another bitter blow for McIlroy, who lost the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau in June when he bogeyed three of his last four holes.
He also suffered disappointment in the Olympic Games in Paris where a late double bogey cost him a chance of a medal.
The world number three began the day a shot ahead of Matteo Manassero on six-under. But after extending his advantage to four shots thanks to birdies at the second and third and bogeys from the Italian at the third and fourth, a bogey at the seventh and missed birdie chances at the eighth and ninth left him just a shot ahead of Dan Brown at the turn.
He restored his two-shot lead when he rolled in a 20-footer for birdie at the 11th but found himself tied with Hojgaard on seven-under with three holes to go when he bogeyed the 15th and the Dane made birdie at the 330-yard 16th.
McIlroy birdied the 16th to draw level but after Hojgaard holed a bunker shot at the 17th to go ahead, McIlroy three-putted the same hole from 26 feet for bogey, running his birdie putt nine feet past.
He was two behind when the Dane birdied the 18th and needed an eagle at the last to force a playoff.
But after hitting a sensational 191-yard seven-iron to 10 feet, he watched in agony as it missed by a whisker.