Rory McIlroy throws Irish Open away after finding water FOUR times!
Rory McIlroy makes a triple-bogey eight on 16 as Vincent Norrman takes the Irish Open.
Rory McIlroy found the water four times in the final round of the Irish Open, on a day where Sweden's Vincent Norrman walked away with the title at The K Club.
McIlroy, 34, started the day two strokes off the pace but soon moved into a share of the lead following birdies at the 1st and 4th.
Play was briefly halted due to inclement weather and McIlroy then returned to make a complete hash of the 7th.
After splitting the middle of the fairway, McIlroy sent his approach shot off the rocks and into the water.
That led to a double-bogey six to send McIlroy back in the chasing pack once more.
Rory finds the water at the 7th.#HorizonIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/m4ZmD0aLcE
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2023
McIlroy then found water again with his approach into 11 and that led to a bogey.
He would, however, get that shot back with a birdie from 20 feet at the 13th.
Roars for Rory!
With five holes to go, @McIlroyRory moves to within three of the clubhouse lead. #HorzionIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/HyDYDqK3FQ
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2023
The World No.2 at this stage found himself three strokes behind Sweden's Norrman, who had set the clubhouse target of 14-under par following a 7-under 65.
McIlroy needed to chase but despite ripping a drive down the middle of the par-5 16th, he found the water for a third time in the round.
Rory finds the water for the third time today. This time at 16. #HorizonIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/yzeCTyaCjd
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2023
The Northern Irishman took his drop and sailed his fourth shot over the back of the green into the water for a fourth time.
McIlroy made a further mess of the hole when firing his sixth shot into the bunker and it would lead to a triple-bogey eight.
That sent McIlroy all the way back down to 8-under par for the tournament.
He would go on to birdie the par-5 18th to card a round of 74 and 9-under par total.
That left McIlroy in T16.
Rory McIlroy makes a triple bogey at the 16th and drops back to eight under par.#HorizonIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/zQblx7n2mI
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2023
The victory for Norrman, 25, marks his second on the DP World Tour having won the Barbasol Championship in July.
That was a co-sanctioned event on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.
Vincent Norrman wins the Horizon Irish Open with a stunning final round 65 #HorizonIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/zZ45pqvNax
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2023
Wow!
You won't see many better up and downs this year from the leader @VincentNorrman.#HorizonIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/i5JjJ7wFqp
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2023
Germany's Hurly Long, who was playing alongside McIlroy in the final group, birdied 18 to finish solo second on 13-under par.
Ireland's Shane Lowry closed with a 68 to finish tied third with Ryan Fox, Thriston Lawrence and Grant Forrest.
The DP World Tour now heads to the flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, before attentions turn to the Ryder Cup in the last week of the month.
McIlroy and the rest of the European Ryder Cup team are now heading off for some practice at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy, before the start of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Irish Open Final Round Leaderboard
-14 V Norrman (Swe)
-13 H Long (Ger)
-12 S Lowry (Ire), T Lawrence (SA), R Fox (NZ), G Forrest (Sco)
Selected others:
-9 R McIlroy (NI)
-8 A Meronk (Pol)
-5 Y Paul (Ger)
E P Harrington (Ire)
