Rasmus Højgaard kisses the Amgen Irish Open trophy after his triumph at Royal County Down. | Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Rasmus Højgaard raced past Rory McIlroy down the stretch to steal the Irish Open at Royal County Down.
A Dane has won the Irish Open at Royal County Down for the second straight time.
Nine years after Søren Kjeldsen defeated Bernd Wiesberger and Eddie Pepperell in a playoff, Rasmus Højgaard made six birdies on the back nine to race past Rory McIlroy and steal his national open away from him.
Højgaard posted a 6-under 65, thus finishing at 9-under for the championship, one shot clear of the 54-hole leader McIlroy, who shot a 69.
“It’s always hard to put into words how it all shapes up towards the end,” Højgaard said after.
“I was trying to focus on myself and not let all the emotions take over. It’s so easy to start thinking ahead, and I managed to stay present. It’s always a cliché but I managed to do that today. I think that’s really helped me to make those birdies coming in.”
The Dane made birdies on the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes to scoot past McIlroy, who had a U.S. Open-like collapse on the final four holes at Royal County Down. McIlroy bogied the 15th and then three-putted the 17th green, ultimately costing him. Yet, the Northern Irishman gave himself a chance on the par-5 18th, where he found the green in two. He had a 10-foot eagle putt that would have tied Højgaard and forced a playoff, but it just hung on the high side, thus giving the Dane the victory.
“It’s a big confidence boost. I knew it was going to be hard to battle with him and the rest of the guys out there,” Højgaard added.
“Obviously, seeing [McIlroy] make a bogey there on 17 changed everything. But again, it was tight all the way down to the last putt. So yeah, it’s a great boost for me for the rest of the year.”
His win at Royal County Down gives him his fifth career victory on the DP World Tour as he eyes a spot on next year’s Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black. He has the talent to do so, and his tremendous short game could come in handy for the Europeans. After all, two of Højgaard’s six birdies on the back nine were chip-ins, which came up big in the end.
“I stayed patient out there. Was only 1-under after nine. I knew I had to find some gold on the back nine. Got away with a chip-in on 10, and it sort of elevated my game a little,” Højgaard said.
“Then, 17, it was a poor second shot. Bit worried that it might have been plugged into the bunker. But I was obviously very happy that I saw it was a good lie. It gave me a bit of confidence that I could get it up and down, and then to hole it was obviously a key moment for the outcome.”
Højgaard has been trending in the right direction, as this win vaults him up to second in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai standings. His goal at the beginning of this season was to secure a PGA Tour card for 2025, just like his brother Nicolai did a year ago. He looks destined to do that. The top 10 finishers on the DP World Tour earn spots on the PGA Tour for the following season.
Two weeks ago, he finished solo third at the Betfred British Masters. Then, last week, Højgaard tied for 17th at the Omega European Masters. But nothing compares to this victory, as he not only conquered one of the world’s best golf courses in Royal County Down but fended off one of the world’s best players in the process. Now, he has pretty much all but secured a spot on the PGA Tour with this win.
“I was shaking out there the last few holes,” Højgaard admitted.
“I obviously knew that Rory was going to be there because he’s got all the support on his back there. Yeah, it was nerve-wracking going down the last few holes, knowing that he was right behind me.”
But those nerves quickly turned into a glorious celebration. Not only does Højgaard get to bask in the glory of winning at Royal County Down, but he is likely headed to the PGA Tour, a career-defining moment that will boost his confidence even more. Indeed, this will not be the last time Højgaard wins a big tournament. It’s likely just the beginning.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
