Rory McIlroy described his Amgen Irish Open victory on Sunday as contributing to possibly the best year of his career as the Masters champion began celebrating his play-off success over Joakim Lagergren at The K Club.

The world number two claimed his fourth win of 2025 having forced a sudden death play-off with a 27-foot eagle putt at the 72nd hole in front of huge and wildly celebrating crowds. Both McIlroy and Lagergren had finished tied on 17 under par having each carded a final-round, six-under 66 in regulation and it took three sudden-death playings of the 18th to decide the play-off, the Swede cracking first as he sent his approach shot into the water to the left of the green. That left McIlroy with a two-putt birdie to secure the 20th DP World Tour victory of his professional career and adding to his wins earlier in the season at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Players Championship and the Masters, when he became just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam of major successes, following in the footsteps of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

“To do what I did earlier in the year and then to come home and win my National Open, no matter what happens for the rest of the year, that’s a pretty cool year,” McIlroy said. “2025 is going to go down as one of the best, if not the best of my career.

“We’re not finished yet. I’ve got a big week next week at Wentworth (in the BMW PGA Championship) and then obviously everyone’s looking forward to the Ryder Cup. I’m just so happy my game’s in good shape. I feel like I’m playing well. Excited for what’s coming up.” 

McIlroy had claimed his maiden Irish Open victory in 2016 and nine years on he praised the sell-out crowds who flocked to the same Palmer North course in huge numbers to roar the Irish superstar on.

“I feel just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of these people,” he said. “The support has been absolutely amazing all week.

“I thought it was going to be a nice homecoming, obviously coming home with a green jacket and all that, but this has been absolutely incredible. This has exceeded all of my expectations. Just so, so happy I could play the way I did this week for all of them and get the win.

“Hopefully we get a bit of it in a few weeks’ time at the Ryder Cup (in New York). But this is absolutely incredible. I love coming home. I love playing in this atmosphere.

“Yeah, moments like this, these are the things you’re going to remember well after your career is over. This is a really special day.” 

McIlroy added: “I feel very fortunate because there’s probably very few golfers in the world that get the support that I get when I go home. Maybe Jon Rahm in Spain. There’s maybe a few others, but this is absolutely incredible. I don’t take it for granted. I feel very grateful and very lucky that I get to do this. Can’t wait to celebrate tonight.” The reception that greeted his eagle putt at the 72nd hole was particularly memorable for the world number two, who said he had not ever felt a moment like it.

“I had a putt on the last green last year at RCD (Royal County Down) to force a play-off with Rasmus (Hojgaard), and it just missed on the high side. So it felt like it was a little bit of redemption.

“I hit it, and I wanted to just be aggressive with it. It was such a cool moment, such a cool feeling for that to go in. That gave me a chance in the play-off.

“The play-off, the way the 18th was playing today, it just felt like it was a case of who was going to blink first. Joakim hit a poor second shot into the play-off hole and that opened the door for me. Just so happy to win my second Irish Open.”