McIlroy denied by Hojgaard in Irish Open thriller

Rory McIlroy's hopes for a dream victory in front of his home crowd were dashed as Rasmus Hojgaard delivered a remarkable finish to claim the Irish Open by a single stroke during a thrilling final round at Royal County Down.

McIlroy, who started the day as the overnight leader with a four-shot advantage, faced setbacks with dropped shots at holes 15 and 17.

Meanwhile, Hojgaard capitalized on the moment, making birdies on four of the last five holes to finish with a score of 65, securing his fifth title on the DP World Tour.

With Hojgaard finishing at nine under par, McIlroy needed to make an eagle on the final hole to force a playoff, but his putt narrowly missed on the right edge.