Rory McIlroy has described how the emotion of winning his first Irish Open left him completely overwhelmed and described his stunning shot on the 16th as the best he's ever struck.

The tournament host produced a wonderful finish to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at The K Club on Sunday.

He'd seen his three-shot lead turned into a one-shot deficit with three holes to play as Scotland's Russell Knox carded four birdies and an eagle, but an audacious approach on his penultimate hole turned the tide and set him up for a memorable triumph.

It was a sweet victory on many levels for the Holywood man, and he admitted it was almost too much for him to process as he reflected on the magnitude of Sunday's success.

"I don’t usually get emotional over golf or over wins, but it all just sort of hit me," McIlroy told RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen.

"We have made a big commitment to the Irish Open to make it one of the best golf tournaments in the world, but also to raise a lot of money for people who really need it.

"I feel like I achieved both of those things last week in terms of winning the golf tournament which was seen all over the world but also raising so much money for a lot of charities, families and kids who need it.

"I had a few moments to think about all that on the 18th green before I hit my final putt. I was really trying not to cry.

"It all just sort of hit me and when that final putt went in, the relief and the emotions that just sort of washed over me... I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced it before in golf.

"For it all to pan out the way it did, it really couldn't have gone any better."

Looking back on that superb approach on the 16th, the 27-year-old said the importance of the effort made it the greatest shot he's ever taken.

He followed that up with a stunning five-wood to three feet of the pin on the last but McIlroy feels that first shot swung momentum his way and placed it in the very top drawer.

"Most definitely. Under the circumstances. Russell Knox had just birdied 14 and 15 to go one ahead and I needed to do something. I needed to make something happen and that was my opportunity. I said to myself, 'I need to take this'. 

"That was the shot that won me the tournament.

"All aspects of my game were there but I was struggling to piece them all together. Finally last week I was able to piece them together. I was still a little disappointed with some aspects of my game last week. 

"I felt like I didn't hole enough putts but my long game saw me through... I'm excited for the rest of the season. 

"I'm on the right track and I'm up for the challenge."