Spectacular Eagle takes Rory McIlroy to Irish Open glory, continuing a brilliant year

Rory McIlroy seems to be a big fan of dramatic and emotional competitions. In the 2025 Irish Open final, he kept tens of thousands of spectators on the edge of their seats with every shot, and then the entire stadium erupted when his stunning 28-foot putt on the final hole secured an eagle, forcing the match into a nail-biting playoff.

At Ireland's renowned K Club, McIlroy demonstrated the mettle of a true champion. He overcame the courageous Swedish golfer Joakim Lagergren after three tense playoff holes to lift the Irish Open trophy for the second time.

This is the first title since that historic moment in Augusta, where McIlroy donned the green jacket of The Masters to officially enter the hall of fame as the sixth golfer to complete the Grand Slam.

"Honestly, I feel incredibly lucky to be playing in front of these amazing people," McIlroy shared emotionally after the dramatic 75 holes of golf. "The support from the fans throughout the week has been truly extraordinary."

The victory was all the more special as it came just three days after the meet-and-greet at the fan village, where McIlroy first donned the green jersey for The Masters and presented all four major trophies to the Irish public.

"I thought this would be a memorable homecoming, bringing home the green jersey and all those titles. But the reality exceeded all expectations. I'm happy that I played a great game, gave my all for the fans, and won right here in my hometown," he shared.

McIlroy received a warm welcome from his home crowd.

A dramatic victory

McIlroy is already famous for his fairway metal shots that helped him win the 2016 Irish Open, and this year he's doing it again at K Club.

On the final day, the turning point also came from a beautiful "fairway metal" shot on the par-5 16th hole from 261 yards, with the ball stopping four feet from the flag, allowing him to easily score an eagle.

His opponent Lagergren, who won last year's Irish Challenge at K Club's South Course, also displayed impressive form with many accurate shots throughout the final day.

But the "once-in-a-lifetime" eagle at the par-5 18th hole belonged to McIlroy.

“That’s the ‘Rory roar’ – Rory’s roar,” commentators exclaimed as McIlroy successfully executed a 28-foot putt for an eagle, sending the entire arena into a frenzy of excitement. He pulled the game into a playoff with the same total score of -17 as Lagergren.

“I had a chance on the final green at the 2024 Irish Open at Royal County Down to pull Rasmus Hojgaard into the playoff, but that putt went slightly wide,” McIlroy recalled. “So this eagle was really a relief. I wanted to hit it hard, and the moment the ball went into the hole was just amazing.”

On the first playoff hole (the 18th hole, a 542-yard par-5), both Rory McIlroy and Joakim Lagergren landed on the green in just two strokes, and both nearly scored an eagle. The scenario repeated itself on the second playoff hole: both golfers missed another eagle opportunity and scored a birdie from a short distance.

The turning point came on the third playoff hole. McIlroy seemed to be at a disadvantage when his tee shot went into the rough, while Lagergren had a great advantage with a good ball position right in the middle of the fairway. But in the decisive moment, the Swedish golfer took too much of a risk, choosing to hit straight at the flag and letting the ball land in the water. McIlroy immediately seized the opportunity, getting the ball onto the green safely and then two simple putts for a birdie to close out the playoff.

“With the way the 18th hole was set up today, I think it was just a matter of seeing who would make the first mistake,” McIlroy shared. “I’m very happy to have won the Irish Open for the second time.”

Earlier, McIlroy had a turbulent start to the final round: trailing by four strokes and bogeying on the opening hole. But he quickly bounced back with a series of birdies on holes 2, 4, 5, 9, and 13, before finishing with a spectacular eagle on the 18th hole, a 28-foot putt that is considered one of the most memorable moments of golf in 2025.

A brilliant year

The victory at K Club marked Rory McIlroy's second Irish Open title, following his first win in 2016. It also solidified his status as one of the greatest icons of Irish golf.

McIlroy now holds his 45th international title and 20th DP World Tour title of his career. This is also McIlroy's fourth victory in 2025. Except for his dominant win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, his other three victories – at The Players Championship (beating JJ Spaun), The Masters (beating Justin Rose), and now the Irish Open (overcoming Lagergren) – were decided by playoffs. This demonstrates the steely resolve and ability of the Northern Irish golfer to overcome pressure.

“2025 will definitely be one of the best, if not the most memorable, years of my career,” McIlroy affirmed. “And it’s not over yet. Next week, I have the BMW PGA at Wentworth and then the Ryder Cup. I feel like I’m playing very well and I’m excited about what’s coming.”

At 36 years old, with an impressive collection of titles, McIlroy remains full of ambition. The Northern Irish golfer has a particular fondness for the National Open. His schedule for the end of the year also includes the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne in December. But first, winning the Irish Open in his home country would be the most spectacular celebration.

“I feel incredibly lucky, because there are probably very few golfers in the world who receive such enthusiastic support when they return to their home country. Jon Rahm in Spain is like that too. It’s truly amazing,” McIlroy expressed. “I never take it for granted. I feel grateful and fortunate. I love the feeling of coming home, I love this atmosphere. Moments like these are what you’ll remember long after your career is over.”