Rory McIlroy the brightest star in golf and third play-off win suggests he’s a man transformed

The passion felt around the lakeside 18th green at the Irish Open is shared by fans across the globe. McIlroy is box-office and 2025 has cemented his legacy

Pandemonium at the K Club provided the latest proof that Rory McIlroy has gone from Nearly Man to The Closer. Scottie Scheffler is undoubtedly golf’s dominant player of recent years but the Holywood star remains the sport’s most exciting figure.

Yes, he was on home territory as he sealed the deal in Sunday’s dramatic Amgen Irish Open, but the outpouring of support as he got into a play-off with Joakim Lagergen and then beat the Swede on the third play-off hole was simply off the charts.

The passion felt around the lakeside 18th green is shared by fans across the globe. McIlroy is box-office and 2025 has cemented his legacy, with his elevation to the Grand Slam club franking his status as the golf’s greatest since Tiger Woods.

Yet it is only just over a year that McIlroy delivered a devastating self-criticism of his game that perfectly summed up the demons he was grappling with.

McIlroy was reacting at Paris National after he had blown a golden opportunity to win an Olympic medal for Ireland.

Thrillingly, he made five five birdies in a row to put himself right in the mix but, from a perfect position on the 15th fairway, he found water instead of the flag. A double bogey ended his hopes. It was the latest in a line of crushing disappointments that he had to come to terms with.

“I feel like I’ve been golf’s nearly nan for the last three years,” McIlroy admitted in the aftermath. “I obviously want that tide to turn and go from the nearly man to back to winning golf tournaments.

“It’s all well and good saying I’m close and close and close. Once I actually step through the threshold and turn these near misses and close calls into wins, that’s what I need to do.”

McIlroy actually won three times last year but what happened at the Olympics was part of a trend that had left him needing to reflect, regroup and reset.

Despite lifting the Dubai Desert Classic, Zurich Classic – with Shane Lowry – and the Wells Fargo Championship trophies, 2024 was also torturous year for him and his fans.

Too many open goals were missed. It began at the Dubai Invitational in January when he led on the final tee but his drive found a watery grave and Tommy Fleetwood emerged victorious.

Worse was to follow. A second US Open title – and a first major success in 12 years – was his for the taking but Bryson DeChambeau gleefully walked through the door McIlroy opened with a disastrous run on the closing holes.

That was in June. The Olympics followed at the start of August and, remarkably, his ‘nearly man’ comment came just weeks before he self-imploded at Royal County Down in the Irish Open and then at Wentworth, where he returns this week.

It was as if he was cursed but, after an early season win in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Nearly Man narrative began to turn when he prevailed in a play-off in The Players against JJ Spaun, then lifted the curse completely as he stumbled over the line to beat Justin Rose in a play-off to win The Masters.

This latest success – a third play-off win of the year – is further evidence of a man transformed.

And, while clearly uneasy in the past about being the big star and central focus of his national open, McIlroy has fully embraced the role to make it such a success story again and not just another stop on the DP World Tour.

If it is indeed Doonbeg that hosts the Irish Open next year – the tour schedule has yet to be confirmed – then the small Clare village will be braced for an invasion of fans in the autumn of 2026.

“I talk about wanting to play a bit more worldwide, and playing in atmospheres like this,” said McIlroy on Sunday night.

“You know, I’m nearly 20 years into my career, these are the things that I want to do.

“I want to play in these atmospheres, I want to play in front of these people. And not just to play in front of them, but to play well and get myself into contention and win is amazing.

“I’m obviously excited for the next few weeks, excited for the Ryder Cup, but also just excited to go to India for the first time, go to Australia again, play in the Australian Open.

“These are the sort of things I want to do for the rest of my career, along with playing in the majors and playing in the biggest tournaments.

“These events give me a lot of joy, and it’s amazing to play them, and even better to have chances to win them as well.”

And, in two years time, he’ll be back at the K Club to go for the hat-trick at the fan-friendly Straffan venue after his 2016 and 2025 triumphs there.

“We’ll see what 2027 brings when we come back here, but yeah, the two wins here in 16 and now in 25, it’s going to be tough to top those two,” he smiled.

If anyone can, he can.