Rory McIlroy is hoping to win his national open for a third time as he prepares to defend the Amgen Irish Open title at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg.
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The World Number Two beat Joakim Lagergren in a play-off after a thrilling finish at The K Club last year, nine years after his first victory at the same venue, and he will now look to join Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Sir Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie as a three-time winner of the event.
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The six-time Major winner is ready to begin what promises to be an exciting run-in to the DP World Tour season on the island of Ireland as he pursues a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title.
The 37-year-old is currently second on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World, after a campaign that has already seen him retain his Masters title, and he will now bid to overtake American Patrick Reed at the top of the season-long standings.
Fellow Irish Major Champions Shane Lowry and Pádraig Harrington are also in the field, both former winners of their national open. Harrington claimed the title in 2007 at Adare Manor, with Lowry famously winning as an amateur in 2009 at County Louth. To date, Lowry is the most recent amateur winner on Tour.
Harrington will write his name into the history books by making his 31st consecutive start at the Amgen Irish Open. Having not missed a single edition of his national open since his debut in 1996, he will surpass Seve Ballesteros’ record for consecutive appearances at the Open de España.
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McIlroy and Lowry are two of nine Major Champions in the field, joining Harrington, Jon Rahm, Danny Willett, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed.
Two-time Major Champion Rahm will also be looking to win the Amgen Irish Open for a third time, having claimed victory at Portstewart Golf Club in 2017 and Lahinch Golf Club in 2019.
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Former World Number One and Ryder Cup Europe Captain Luke Donald will tee it up on the island of Ireland alongside European Ryder Cup players Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka, Rasmus Højgaard and Nicolai Højgaard, with Rasmus returning as a former Amgen Irish Open champion following his victory at Royal County Down in 2024.
Player Quotes
Rory McIlroy: I got two bites of the cherry coming home last year with Portrush and with The Open and everything up to the Amgen Irish Open. I really wanted to treat, I guess, both weeks like a celebration of the year and everything that I had achieved last year. I started off the week at the Irish Open last year with, you know, doing something in the tented village with all the fans and Green Jacket and Major trophies.
Needing three at the last to get into the play-off and the scenes on the last everything and it was an incredible week. With the way that the year transpired, going into that back end of the season, if there was one tournament that I could have chosen to win, it would be that one. It was a magical weekend, and obviously the scenes of the celebrations and dads and sons hugging each other, it was very fulfilling and I’m glad I got the opportunity to be a part of it.
