The Cut Stuff

Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard produced a brilliant finish to win the Amgen Irish Open as Rory McIlroy suffered a second heartbreaking loss of the year. McIlroy looked on course to claim his first professional win on home soil when he led by two shots with four holes to play at Royal County Down, just an hour from where he grew up.

“From where I was at the start of the week and what I wanted to do, it’s a step in the right direction. You know, if anything, it just whets my appetite even more for Portrush [the Open Championship] next year.” McIlroy took a one-shot lead into the final round and made the ideal start with birdies on the first and second.

The United States held off a brave fightback from Europe to win the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017 in dramatic fashion in Virginia. World number two Lilia Vu birdied the final two holes at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club to halve her match with Swiss rookie Albane Valenzuela and edge the home side over the line.

Suzann Pettersen vowed Europe would “come back very hungry” after losing the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017. The United States held off a brave fightback from Pettersen’s side to win 15.5 to 12.5 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, where world number two Lilia Vu birdied the final two holes against Swiss rookie Albane Valenzuela to edge a nervy home team over the line.

“I’ve done my best. I’ve tried my heart out and I’ve tried to pass on the values that I picked up from my previous captains, from my previous teams that I’ve been on,” Pettersen added. “I think we have a great culture on the European side and it’s been nice kind of helping, recruiting new monsters into this team.

Another birdie on the 13th looked set to help McIlroy establish a more sizeable lead, but a bogey on the last meant he had to settle for the joint lowest score of the day and a 54-hole total of six under par. “I definitely would have taken the score before I went out today,” McIlroy said. “Got off to the perfect start making a three on one and then it was just a matter of trying to par as many holes as possible.

Europe reduced the overnight gap to four points as the English pair of Charley Hull and Georgia Hall finished two up against Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu. Hull had a simple message to the European team heading into the singles, who were given the daunting task of lifting the cup for a record fourth time in succession. “Win your own point, have fun out there, enjoy it,” she said.

Europe continue to face an uphill battle to lift the Solheim Cup for a record fourth time in succession after the second day’s foursomes finished 2-2. Suzann Pettersen’s side threatened to halve their overnight deficit when they led in three of the four matches for much of the morning session, but in the end were grateful to remain four points behind at 8-4.

There was some respite for Europe as Swedish pair Anna Nordqvist, in her ninth Solheim Cup, and Madelene Sagstrom thrashed Alison Lee and Lexi Thompson 6&5, but the US rammed home their superiority in the bottom two matches. Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel beat Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark 3&2, while Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang enjoyed a comfortable 5&4 victory over Linn Grant and Charley Hull.

Tiger Woods has undergone back surgery after an injury-hit 2024 season. A statement on Woods’ official X account said the 15-time major winner underwent microdepression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in the lower back on Friday. The statement added that Dr Sheeraz Qureshi, of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, performed the surgery and deemed it to be successful.