McIlroy eager to equal Montgomerie’s record

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RORY McIlroy is drawing on past success at the Earth course as he bids to match Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight Race to Dubai titles at this weekend’s DP World Tour…

GOLF – RORY McIlroy is drawing on past success at the Earth course as he bids to match Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight Race to Dubai titles at this weekend’s DP World Tour Championship in the UAE.

Chasing a fifth successive season-long crown, McIlroy arrived at Jumeirah Golf Estates having narrowed the gap on leader Eugenio Chacarra with a third-place finish at last week’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

McIlroy has had another year to remember, capturing a second successive Green Jacket at the Masters in April and recording multiple top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish at the BMW PGA Championship.

Now returning to a venue where he boasts three victories – the latest in 2024 – and 10 other top tens in 15 previous starts, the world number two will have a chance at making more history, currently sitting 533.93 points behind Chacarra.

While the Northern Irishman will likely need at least a top-four finish and other results to go his way to claim an eighth title, his record at the Earth course means he comes in with confidence about his chances in this position.

“I’m very excited to be back here, and very excited to be in contention for the eighth,” said McIlroy. “I made some ground up last week, maybe not as much as I wanted, but I felt like it was a step in the right direction.

“Excited to do it all over again, and you know, try to play well enough to give myself a real chance at the weekend.”

Last week’s winner Jon Rahm catapulted himself into Race to Dubai contention once again with his record sixth Rolex Series title in Abu Dhabi.

The Spaniard, who took the European number one crown in 2019 and is a two-time Major winner, enters the season-ending event in sixth place in the rankings, knowing that another win in Dubai could be enough to get his hands on the Harry Vardon trophy for the second time.

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