McILROY TO REVIVE ‘B-MINUS’ SEASON AT DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
▶ Dubai holds happy memories as Northern Irishman focuses on return to the top, writes John McAuley
By his own admission, Rory McIlroy let a tournament slip through his fingers in Dubai earlier this year, and the golfer is keen to make amends upon his return to the emirate this week.
Dubai remains a special place for the Northern Irishman.
At different points in his career, it has provided a home or a regular training base.
The launchpad, too, to a fourtime major winner’s career, supplying the scene of his first professional victory, at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2009.
This past January, McIlroy went close to capturing the trophy for a third time – he triumphed in 2015 as well – but spurned a two-shot lead with eight holes to play on Sunday to eventually lose to China’s Li Haotong.
Now back for this week’s DP World Tour Championship, the European Tour’s season finale in which he has won twice already, McIlroy is seeking to round off a “B-minus” season on a positive note.
“Dubai has been a great place for me over the years,” he said yesterday. “It’s basically where I launched my career.
“I had my first win here. I was a resident in the UAE for four years, so I have a lot of history and a lot of great memories here. So it’s good to be back, especially after missing this tournament [through injury] last year.
“I played earlier in the year at the Desert Classic and feel like I let one slip away there. So I guess it would be nice to get one win in Dubai this year and end the year on a high.”
For most, McIlroy’s 2018 would represent more than a decent campaign. He has 10 top-10 finishes, coming in second at the British Open and played in the final group at the US Masters.
In fact, he formed part of Sunday’s final pairings six times this season, but as of yet has a solitary victory to show for it, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in March.
So a B-minus it is, then. Although, lifting a third trophy at Jumeirah Golf Estates would just about improve that overall grade.
“I don’t know. I’d maybe give it a B-minus, and a win this week would get it up to a B,” said McIlroy, a former world No 1 who sits seventh in the standings.
“From where I started 2018 to where I finish, it is a step in the right direction.
“Coming off an injury last year I missed this tournament. I was rehabbing. I dropped outside the top 10 in the world.
“I have got myself back inside there and I’ve spent most of the year inside the top five in the world, and it’s just a journey back to where I want to be, which is at the top of the game. So, it’s step in the right direction.
“There were a couple of missteps along the way, but then a good off-season – I am working on a few things – and hopefully I can rectify that next year.”
Primarily, getting over the line when in place to win.
Thankfully, McIlroy has been in that position plenty on the Earth Course.
In 2012, he birdied the final five holes, memorably, to win the tournament and confirm the Race to Dubai title, while three years later he went headto-head down the stretch with Andy Sullivan, coming out on top thanks in large part to an incredible bogey-save on the penultimate green.
“Two great memories,” McIlroy said. “Hopefully I can create some more this week.”
For that, McIlroy understands he needs to drive the ball well, normally his greatest weapon. His campaign has been blighted somewhat by his struggles off the tee, and so he has a new driver in the bag this week to help his quest for silverware.
It worked well in Sun City last week en route to a tied-21st, he said, and in yesterday’s ProAm, so that offers some encouragement for tomorrow’s big tee-off.
“The driver is a huge club around here,” McIlroy said. “And if you hit it pretty accurately, you’re going to have a big advantage over the rest of the field.”
I missed this tournament last year. I have got myself back inside the top 10. So, it’s step in the right direction RORY McILROY Former world No 1