RORY MCILORY suffered more heartbreak on home soil as he gifted the Irish Open title to Rasmus Hojgaard.

As the 54-hole leader at Royal County Down, McIlroy seemed destined to make up for the misery of missing the cut the last time the Irish Open was held here in 2015.

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Rory McIlroy has suffered an astonishing Irish Open defeatCredit: Getty

Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard was crowned the champion at Royal County DownCredit: PA

But he ended up suffering the same fate at the 2019 Open up the coast at Portrush.

It all seemed to be going to plan as McIlroy found himself two shots clear with four holes to play.

The world No3 revived painful memories of his US Open defeat at the hands of Bryson DeChambeau four months earlier as two clumsy bogeys saw his hopes perish.

McIlroy birdied the other two – but with Hojgaard finishing with a hat-trick of birdies, the Northern Irishman came up one stroke short.

His huge army of fans were left stunned and shaking their heads in disbelief, emotions shared by McIlroy.

The home hero had a chance to force a playoff.

Two brilliant shots at the par-five closing hole left him with a ten-footer for the eagle that would have matched Hojgaard’s nine under-par total.

In previous years, you would have put good money on McIlroy making that putt and finishing the job in overtime.

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But ten years without adding to the four Majors he won before the age of 25 have eroded McIlroy’s confidence.

So it was no surprise when his ball burned the hole but refused to drop, with a two-under-par 69 condemning him to yet another near miss.

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The win is huge for Dane Hojgaard as he now joins his twin brother Nicolai on the PGA Tour after sealing his status with today’s victory.