Rory McIlroy is on the cusp of yet another accolade as he heads to the desert for a fortnight as the DP World Tour playoffs get underway.
First up is Yas Links for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship before the Tour Championship where McIlroy can clinch a seventh Harry Vardon Trophy which would leave him just one behind Colin Montgomerie on the Order of Merit roll of honour.
The Holywood man unsurprisingly leads the Race to Dubai after a career defining season which saw him win the Masters to become just the sixth player to complete the career grand slam and Edoardo Molinari has picked him out as the man to beat this week.
“Rory McIlroy is clearly one of the favourites again,” said the Italian who has proven to be a stats guru in his vice captaincy roles for the European Ryder Cup team.
“He loves playing in the Middle East and he is the best player in the field. He can take full advantage of his driving around Yas Links and should he have a good week on the greens he will be a force to contend with for everyone with any hopes of winning.”
McIlroy will have to hold off a stacked field which includes eight members of Luke Donald’s team – McIlroy, Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Åberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rasmus Højgaard and Robert MacIntyre – while three-time winner on the DP World Tour this season, Marco Penge is still within touching distance in second place on the rankings.
McIlroy has spoken about playing a more global schedule which could in turn aid his cause for a record equalling eighth Race to Dubai crown and even a ninth to come. For now, it’s about getting that seventh title and fourth in a row over the next two weeks.
“I’ve come this far, I might as well try and get to eight or nine. Getting to six and three-in-a-row, and prioritising The Race to Dubai and DP World Tour and trying to achieve something that no one else in the game has achieved if I am to surpass Monty.
“But I’ve got a good 10 years left, I think. Look, again, the other thing is, who knows what the world of golf looks like in a few years’ time. But as long as The Race to Dubai is happening and there’s an Order of Merit and we’re on this tour, I’m going to want it.”
