Why McIlroy, the $15m man, has his eyes on a smaller prize
Earning $15 million (£12.2 million) in four days can never be easy, so perhaps it was no surprise that fatigue eventually got the better of Rory McIlroy in the Alps yesterday.
However, he is still primed to win the Omega European Masters, his second title in as many weekends, and so begin to close the gap on world No1 Brooks Koepka, whom he aims to pass before the end of the year.
With five holes to play at Crans-surSierre, McIlroy was one shot off the pace and seemingly locked in that irresistible motion known in the locker room as “Rory rhythm”. But then he located water twice and stumbled through that quintet in two over.
The 30-year-old’s one-under 69 was far from disastrous and on 11 under he is only three strokes off the lead. It is just whether he can summon the energy after travelling 4,500 miles after his heroics in Atlanta last Sunday.
“I don’t know what happened at the end,” McIllroy said. “I felt a little flat out and a little tired, and maybe it all just caught up with me. I am looking forward to having a good night’s sleep. If I can go out and play a good front nine tomorrow I will be right in it.”
If you are wondering why he chose to play in Switzerland, his seventh event in eight weeks and one with “only” a £375,000 first prize – more than 30 times less than the Tour Championship – you need to look no further than the sponsors of the tournament.
McIlroy receives a lucrative endorsement from the watchmaker to play in one of its events each season. He skipped the Desert Classic in Dubai.
However, with McIlroy, his desire to win should never be underestimated. Not only is reclaiming pole position in the rankings for the first time in four years on his mind – if he wins today, he will still require at least one further piece of silverware at such stops as Wentworth, St Andrews, Shanghai and Dubai to succeed – but there is also his experience in Crans as a teenager.
In 2008, he looked certain to win his first professional title when taking a one-shot lead down the last, before flying the green with his approach and losing out to Jean-Francois Luquin in a play-off. Despite the garlands since, that extra-hole defeat has played on his mind and he should be believed when he says: “I really, really want this one.”
Also in the frame is Wade Ormsby, one behind Andres Romero on 13 under, and Gavin Green and Tommy Fleetwood on 12 under. Fleetwood’s day was in direct contrast to that of McIlroy, as he picked up three birdies in the last five holes for a 68. Without a title in 18 months, he is overdue a win.