RORY McIlroy in ‘well positioned’ for a sixth Race to Dubai title after a final round surge in UAE.
The Derry ace carded a closing 64 for a 21-under total at the HSBC Championship in Abu Dhabi.
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Rory McIlroy is in pole position to claim a sixth Race to Dubai title next week
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Paul Waring of England holds the trophy after his win in the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
Four-time major winner McIlroy finished T3 to keep himself firmly in the hotseat for another Race to Dubai title.
It’s a welcome final round after he had a horrid finish to round 3 as he fell to 13th overnight.
England’s Paul Waring claimed his second title DP World Tour title, finishing two-strokes clear of LIV Golf star Tyrell Hatton.
Thriston Lawrence remains in second on the standings ahead of the final week at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
The South African requires a win at the Earth Course, although even that will not be enough if McIlroy finishes 11th or better, so the the Northern Irishman’s destiny remains in his own hands.
Speaking after his third place finish, the world number three is content with his standings heading into next week’s decider.
He said: “I do feel in a good position,”
“I saw Thriston making a charge today, and I was keeping one eye on the leaderboard and looking at what he was doing. I saw he posted 20.
“Obviously I wanted to birdie the last, anyway, but I know that birdie, even if it isn’t to win the tournament this week, it obviously gives me that little bit extra of a cushion going into next week.
“Every shot counts at this moment in time.
“And I was glad to make the four at the last and at least give myself half a chance at this tournament this week but also give myself a little bit more of a cushion going into Dubai next week as well.”
Elsewhere, Shane Lowry finished T13 after a final round of -3 for a -18 total.
Tom McKibbin carded a slick eight-under-par round to end his week in T10, one stroke better off than Offaly star Lowry.
It now all comes down to the DP World Tour Championship as we close out the schedule from Thursday, November 14th to Sunday, November 17th.
The play-off format was introduced as part of a new-look schedule, the DP World Tour Play-Offs are the final sprint of the 2024 Race to Dubai.
Only the top 50 qualify for the season finale at the Earth Course in Dubai.
There are an elevated 9,000 Race to Dubai Ranking Points on offer at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and 12,000 available at the season ending DP World Tour Championship.
Players awarded a share of the points based on their finishing position in the tournament.
