WHERE EAGLES DARE

Mcllroy no stranger to drama down the stretch at the K Club and a near miss at 18 can't dampen enthusiasm

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

RORY Mcllroy knows all about the K Club's grandstand finishing holes.

Nine years ago he fired five woods for the ages into the 16th and 18th greens to claim his first and still only Irish Open crown.

There’s even a plaque on the 18th fairway to commemorate his spectacular approach into the par 5 that was the icing on the cake of that victory.

Yesterday, he was at it again - but this time there were the thrills and spills of a miraculous par save after finding the River Liffey on 16 followed by back to back birdies.

In fact, a closing eagle attempt that the massive crowds urged into the hole just missing the cup after he produced a glorious 8-iron approach into the par 5 to eight feet from the flag.

“They'll have to find room for another plaque” said one onlooker as the galleries rose in acclaim. The eagle wasn’t to be, but it was Mcllroy’s fourth birdie in six holes.

“I couldn't believe it, I was hitting a three-quarter 8-iron,” he said of that 171-yard shot into the 18th green.

“I couldn't believe how much it came back. Yeah, it looked like it nearly flew into the hole. It was nice to make some good iron swings on the way in - the two par 3s, even the 9 iron into 17, that 8 iron into the last.

So pleased with that.

“The reason is because I'm hitting it on the fairway, which I probably haven't been doing as much over the last couple months.