Rory McIlroy has his sights set on a record-equalling sixth Harry Vardon Trophy at this year’s DP World Tour Championship, as the World Number Three heads into the DP World Tour Play-Offs with a healthy lead.
“Competing at the DP World Tour Championship is always something I look forward to at the end of the season,” McIlroy said. “Dubai has been a special place for me, and I’ve been fortunate to achieve a lot of success there. To have the chance to equal Seve’s record is incredibly meaningful, he was a pioneer for European golf, and his impact on the world game can’t be overstated.
“It’s going to be a couple of big weeks in the Middle East with the DP World Tour Play-offs and I’m focused on playing some good golf to put myself in contention for more titles.”
He might be sitting pretty sat on the summit, but it’s been a bumpy road for the 35-year-old in his 2024 passage, as he looks to equal Seve Ballesteros with six order of merit titles.
Starting off back in January, down the road at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, Rory was pipped to the post by Tommy Fleetwood in the Dubai Invitational. A near perfect start to the year.
Rory McIlroy with the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic Dallah Trophy – Getty Images
He made up the very next week though, by mastering the Majlis with a Saturday 63 at Emirates Golf Club, en route to winning his fourth Hero Dubai Desert Classic title and leapfrog Tommy in doing so to the Race to Dubai Rankings, which he wouldn’t let go of.
After a tie for 22nd at The Masters and a T12 at Valhalla, he was trending in the right direction for a fifth major, potentially being collected at Pinehurst.
He had placed himself once again in the hot seat, in the U.S. Open and a proper Sunday showdown between Rory and Bryson DeChambeau was on the cards, but it ended in dismay for the Ulsterman who was, some might say, sitting in the best chance he had at winning his first major championship in 10 years, with just three holes left to play.
After two tentatively missed putts on the 16th and 18th at Pinehurst, Rory was sent packing and departed the premises of the Pinehurst Resort within seven minutes of Bryson’s winning putt.
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Questions were being asked about Rory. This is the guy who has won the FedEx Cup three times, the Race to Dubai five times, he’s a four-time major champion, and more specifically one of three players to win four majors by age 25, joining the company of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger.
Maybe everything that Rory had been through on and off the course over the span of his career was having a dampening effect on his performances on the bigger mountains. Pressures of social media, family, LIV Golf it all adding up, to having too much on his plate.
When Rory returned back to the DP World Tour at the Genesis Scottish Open, as defending champion, he came up four-shots short this time round, leaving his first competitive appearance since his U.S. Open nightmare in good nick.
“I had a lot of chances that I wasn’t able to convert, and that was sort of the story of the week,” said McIlroy. “There was a few scrappy bits here and there but overall, it was a good week to see where my game is heading into next week. Especially after the back of three weeks off. I’m pleased. I had one eye on trying to defend here but obviously with an eye on trying to get prepared for Troon as well.”
Maybe he wasn’t ready as he hoped to be. A Thursday seven-over 78 at The Open was his worst major round since his opening 79 at Royal Portrush in 2019 and ultimately led him with too much damage to be reversed on Friday.
Rory McIlroy – 2024 Amgen Irish Open – Ross Kinnaird
The tide didn’t seem to be turning for McIlroy, which seemed to be a regular headline. A runner-up finish at Royal County Down led to an emotional moment of reflection.
“Unfortunately, I’m getting used to it this year,” McIlroy shrugged. “Hopefully the tide is going to turn pretty soon and I can turn all these close calls into victories.”
Points mounting on his Race to Dubai lead but alas, no titles. It was similar story the very next week in the DP World Tour’s flagship event in the BMW PGA Championship, as for the second straight week he fell just short after a playoff loss to American Billy Horschel.
“Two weeks in a row, I’ve played well,” McIlroy said. “Just not quite well enough. But you know, happy with where my game is and happy where it’s trending.”
Surely, we will have a fairytale finish for Rory as he heads to the UAE with either the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links or the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in his trophy cabinet. (Alongside a sixth Harry Vardon Trophy of course).
Main image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
