Irish Open: Vincent Norrman wins as Rory McIlroy hopes are sunk11th September 2023
-14 V Norrman (Swe); -13 H Long (Ger); -12 G Forrest (Sco), R Fox (NZ), S Lowry (Ire), T Lawrence (SA); Smith (Eng); -11 S Sharma (Ind), MW Lee (Aus), N Bachem (Ger), R Hoshino (Jap), C Syme (Sco)
Sweden’s Vincent Norrman shot a closing 65 to win the Irish Open as Rory McIlroy blew his chances by finding water four times on the final day.
World number two McIlroy was among several players to struggle as Norrman, 25, came from six behind to win by one at the K Club.
McIlroy was sharing the lead on 13 under but found water at the seventh with his approach.
He did the same again on 11 to drop a shot before making triple bogey at 16.
McIlroy famously fired a sensational three-wood second shot at the 16th to set up his only Irish Open triumph in 2016 and also eagled the hole in Friday’s second round when he holed a 120-yard shot.
However, the par five truly bit back at him as he found water with successive fairway woods over the final two rounds.
To make matters worse on Sunday, McIlroy then hit his nine-iron fourth shot into the River Liffey and, after taking a second penalty drop, needed to hole a 20-footer to limit the damage to an eight.
A birdie at the last meant a 74 for McIlroy as he shared 16th place – five shots off the pace – after a final day which included a 90-minute weather delay.
Norrman was wowed by the presence of McIlroy and Lowry in the field, saying: “I’m just as starstruck as some of those fans out here seeing those guys, and to be competing against them is so cool. To beat them is even cooler.”
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