Has Rory McIlroy ever claimed victory at the Irish Open? The four-time major champion is striving for what he considers ‘one of the greatest wins’ of his career.

Rory McIlroy is set to chase victory at the Irish Open this weekend, competing just a short distance from his home.

As the World No. 3, McIlroy resides only an hour away from Royal County Down, the venue for the 2024 Amgen Irish Open, where he will have abundant support from the local crowd.

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Just weeks after finishing among the top 10 at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, McIlroy will be searching for glory this weekend.

His most recent victory came at the Wells Fargo Championship in May, so he is eager to add another trophy to his collection.

He knows what it takes to triumph in this event…

Has McIlroy ever won the Irish Open?

Yes, McIlroy has claimed the Irish Open once before, achieving victory in 2016 at The K Club in Kildare.

He finished the tournament at 12-under-par, fending off strong competition from Bradley Dredge and Russell Knox.

However, apart from this win, the four-time major champion has struggled at the Irish Open; he missed three consecutive cuts before his victory in 2016 and hasn’t managed a top-10 finish since. McIlroy did not play in the events of 2019, 2020, and 2022, finishing tied for 16th last year.

During the last Irish Open at County Down, he failed to make the cut, but he’s aiming for a much better performance this time around, nearly a decade later.

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As he looks forward to the weekend’s events, McIlroy commented: « Being home, staying in my own house and spending time with my friends has been fantastic. I’m really looking forward to this week. I enjoy coming back to play here, whether it’s just with my friends at RCD or Portrush.

« It’s great to compete in a tournament again—I didn’t perform well last time, so I’m aiming to do better.”

He is excited about the prospect of winning another trophy and recognizes that a victory at home would rank among the highlights of his career.

“To those looking in from the outside, it might not seem as significant as some of my previous wins, » he acknowledged, « but for me, it would be one of the greatest victories I’ve ever experienced.”

McIlroy will compete alongside his close friend Shane Lowry as they headline the competitors at Royal County Down. Other notable players joining them include Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Hojgaard, and Padraig Harrington.