SHOWDOWN IN SUN CITY
McIlroy has Molinari in sights
RORY McIlroy believes he can overhaul Francesco Molinari with a fast finish to the European Tour season.
McIlroy trails the Open champion by almost two million points and needs to win this week’s $7.5million Nedbank Challenge and the $8m DP World Tour Championship in Dubai to bag a fourth Race to Dubai crown.
If successful in Sun City, McIlroy would jump from eighth to second in the rankings and be guaranteed to play with Molinari next week.
It’s a big ask for the 29-year-old who has yet to win on the Eurogolf,’ pean Tour this season but has five top-five finishes, and three runner-up placings, including the Open at Carnoustie.
‘I’m coming here with the goal, if I can get into that final group on Thursday with Frankie (Francesco Molinari) next week, that would be a good start.
‘I can’t look too far ahead, but if I can do what I need to do this week, leapfrog a few guys and get into that final pair on Thursday, it would be a huge step towards trying.’
McIlroy was in the final group with at the Masters but fell away behind Patrick Reed, while he couldn’t reel in Molinari on the final day of the BMW Championship in Wentworth, losing by two strokes.
Even so, the four-time major champion is upbeat. ‘I’ve played good golf. I’ve played consistent he said. ‘I’ve played in six final groups this year and I haven’t had a win out of any of those final groups.
‘I think I played in four final groups in the previous two years combined, so it’s better.’
McIlroy returned from a month off after the Ryder Cup for the HSBC Champions in China where he finished well down the field behind Xander Schauffele.
‘I feel like my game’s in pretty good shape. I didn’t play great in China but a week off and just sort of reflecting on things. Hopefully, I can get off to a good start this week.
‘I got a few days to get a look at the golf course, adjust to the altitude and figure out how far the ball is going. Excited to be back and looking forward to giving it one last push here and next week in Dubai,’ he said.
The top 60 players in the Race to Dubai rankings are guaranteed a place in the World Tour Championships so Shane Lowry (41st) and Paul Dunne (53rd), who are also competing in Sun City, are safe.
But Padraig Harrington (88th) needs a top five finish this week to qualify for the season-ending extravaganza.