From oh, so close to too close for comfort . From a golf ball lipping out to settling to the middle of the bottom of the cup. After years of experiencing one grueling defeat after another, Rory McIlroy's fortunes have started to turn on golf's biggest stages.

The winds have changed: They are fully at his back, and his sails have started to billow as he charts the last leg of his course towards the finale of perhaps the greatest season of his already-remarkable career.

Claiming his 20th DP World Tour victory on Sunday at the K Club and his second Irish Open title , McIlroy flipped the tournament on its head with an eagle putt on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Sweden's Joakim Lagergren. It brought the Irish contingent to its feet. Fathers and sons hugged and roared in unison

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