Joakim Lagergren is just in the midst of this weekend’s first DP World Tour title since 2018, just to get the Irish Open snatched by Rory Mcillory.
The Masters champion beat Lagergren on the third additional hole after three straight wins, and the 33-year-old Swedish hope ended with water hazard.
This is McIlroy’s 20th victory on the DP World Tour and his fourth win of the season. But it set an impressive -17 target for Lagergren, which was a shocking blow.
“It’s a tough guy that’s hard to swallow,” Raggelen said after the tournament.
“I really thought I was there today. Obviously, posting minus 17 to the clubhouse might be enough.
“I also did a great job in the playoffs. I hit a solid 5-iron in the last game, but it was shocking.
“It’s one meter from death to the hole. So it’s hard.”
But the Swedes are positive about his recent progress.
“It feels like I’m definitely back and playing at the level I want to play.
“Just in the top 10 last week and then lost the playoffs this week. Yes, it feels like a trend.”
For Raggelen, it was not doom and melancholy. He earned $660,000 in the K Club on Sunday and finished 18th from the 32nd in the DP World Tour rankings, earning key points in the Dubai competition. Next season’s PGA travel cards are also mouth-watering.
He also climbed from 194th to the highest career-high No. 121 in the world official golf rankings.
But after an impressive action weekend, he wasn’t the only Swedes to see their rankings.
Hugo Townsend 638> 300
Dublin-born Swedish and the son of former Ryder Cup player Peter Townsend, won his first Hotelplanner Tour at the GAC Rosa Challenge and was one of the biggest climbers on the weekend.
He also made it to the top 20 in Majorca rankings and saw his world gold rankings in the Rockets from No. 638 to No. 300.
Townsend plans to celebrate its first victory, “probably a million beers.”
Niklas Lemke 393> 355
Lemke finished an impressive T20 at The Irish Open and rose from No. 393 in the world golf rankings to No. 355. His highest position since 2021.
The 41-year-old Swedish won the T14 trend at the Denmark Golf Championships in seven consecutive defeats in mid-August.
Mikel Lindberg 421> 396
Tie to 37th in the Irish Open, Lindberg has been making steady progress last month, rising from 421 to 396.
Ranked fourth in the Danish Open in August, driving him out of the 600s, and two top 30 results have helped his career.
Tobias Jonsson 515> 430
Jonsson jumped to No. 430 in the GAC Rosa Challenge, his highest ranking to date.
In June, Jonsson finished second at the end of the Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge and ranked third in the Swiss Challenge. He has been boldly making great progress since the beginning of the year in 1472nd.
