Rory McIlroy produces sensational finish to win his first Irish Open

Perhaps we all underestimated just how much an Irish Open win would mean to Rory McIlroy. One glance at the 27-year-old as he converted for eagle on the 72nd hole at the K Club immediately provided a picture of deep emotion. By his own admission, McIlroy was engaged in a battle not to cry.

The basic competitive statistic shows McIlroy has ended a wait for victory which stretched back to November. That would hardly represent disaster for mere golfing mortals but McIlroy’s status means he is tipped to prevail every time he takes to tournament play. The Northern Irishman had continually insisted he was close to breaking his run and proved precisely that – in the stunning fashion which renders him such a great champion.

McIlroy had trailed Russell Knox by a stroke when taking to the 16th tee on Sunday. Yes, the Scotsman wilted, but that was due in part to the pressure applied by the four-time major winner. McIlroy’s risky three-wood approach to the par-five 16th was glorious, setting up the birdie which swung the pendulum.

McIlroy was a shot clear when reaching the 18th, where he again played fairway wood, this time from 253 yards, into kick-in distance from the hole. Immediately, it was abundantly clear just how deeply McIlroy cherished success in his home Open. Others will do, too; with McIlroy’s foundation hosting the tournament, his prize of £515,500 (€666,660) will be donated entirely to charity.

“It all just sort of hit me,” McIlroy said. “I had a little bit of time on the green when Russell and Danny [Willett] were finishing out and I was trying to hold back the tears then.

“Golf-wise this week, it’s obviously very important to me, but also with the work that we’ve put into this tournament and the work that we’ve put into the foundation and the people that we are going help from this week.

“We’ve already raised over €500,000 going into today for the three chosen charities, and then all the winnings go towards that as well, so we’ve broken the €1m mark this week, which is absolutely incredible. I don’t usually get emotional about golf or about wins, but this one, it means just a little bit more, because it’s not just for myself. It’s for a lot of other people. It’s a day I’ll not forget for a while.”

A tournament that has provided McIlroy with struggles in the past, partly because of the pressure associated with expectation, has thereby offered one of the finest moments of his career.

Knox shared second place with Wales’s Bradley Dredge. Knox, who retains Ryder Cup hopes, will feature in the PGA Championship at Wentworth from Thursday. “I can’t wait,” he said with a smile. “And Rory’s not going, so that’s good for me.” Willett, curiously, hit a final round of 77 to slip to a share of 23rd.

McIlroy was not the only player to be visibly moved by events in County Kildare. Matthew Southgate produced floods of tears after holing out on the 18th green for the 68 which earned him a fourth-placed finish and the biggest cheque of his career. Southgate’s progression through the European Tour’s qualifying school late last year was impressive enough without him having undergone treatment for testicular cancer only weeks earlier.

“It’s incredible,” Southgate said. “I can’t put it into words. I’ve worked my whole life to be doing things like this, and to do it, I can barely talk about it. I’m choked up about it.

“It’s a fantastic week. My dad’s here and it’s been incredible, absolutely incredible. My goal for the year was to keep my card and that’s just done it there. I’m absolutely thrilled to bits.

“I wasn’t even in this tournament on Monday night. I was a reserve and got a phone call. I thought: ‘Right, this is a big opportunity’, because I have been playing well for weeks.

“This is just a huge achievement for me. Now with the freedom of having some money in the bank, some points on the board, I’ll free up and hopefully this won’t be the last time you see results like this from me.”