Rory McIlroy is closing in on 1 of his top goals. Will anyone get in his way?
Rory McIlroy has done well lately to talk his career ribs into existence. At the start of 2025, McCroy said there were three things he was focused on for the rest of his career:
– Win the Masters
– Win ANOTHER RYDER CUP GOAL
– Win an Olympic medal
Nine months later, that check, check, maybe the next check. But for those closest to the DP world tour, known as the European Tour, there is another Echelon McIlroy in pursuit.
It’s a long, quiet pursuit that most golf fans would miss, but trust that MICLOY doesn’t feel that way about it. He wants to be considered the greatest European golfer of all time, and if he hasn’t been there so far, he will be able to get even closer to that title this coming week in Dubai.
McIlroy leads the race in Dubai with one week to go, and only Tyrrell Hatton and Marco Hendge have a reasonable shot at getting in his way. The pursuit of a perennial title is not exclusive to McIlroy, but the representative is a big deal. It would be his seventh race on the Dubai course, an award known as the Order of Merit, and MCLOROY is in second place for career marks in this regard. Colin Montgomerie started with eight titles.
In the coming days, McIlroy will host a press conference from Jumeirah Golf Estates and will undoubtedly be asked about it. It would be his fourth-straight race in the Dubai title and the first since last year, when he tied six saterotos bevetos, making MCLOOY emotional.
“I think what sevet said in this game, in this tour, in the European Ryder Cup team,” said McIlroy. “We sit in the locker room at the Ryder Cup, and the place is just filled with Seve quotes, every wall you look at. We had a changing room last year in Italy with the last shirt he ever wore when he played the Ryder Cup at Oak Hill in ’95.
“I think it was that, and combined with the fact that I’ve had a lot of calls this year. They’re definitely going to make it easier for me, though, out there in the back nine.
“I think it’s just a combination of the Seeve thing finally finding a line for what feels like a long time, I think it’s just the emotions of it all, that’s why I shouldn’t test myself.”
It was only a few minutes later that he started to look forward.
“I’ve come this far, I might try and get to eight or nine [titles]”Mcloy said.” Getting to six and three in a row, and leading the race in Dubai and the DP World Tour and trying to achieve something no one else in the sport.
“But I have 10 years left, I think, and, another thing, who knows what the golf world looks like in a few years and we’re on this journey.”
12 months on 12 months and MCLOROY has as good a chance as ever to do it again, thanks in part to his Sunday 62, rising to a T3 finish in Abu Dhabi. Tyrrell Hatton will have to win next week and hope Minroy finishes outside the eighth. It’s the end that ensures Marco Penge the top spot he can win outright. (And it would require MICLOOY to finish without Solo Second MCICROY DID FIRST DIRECTION OF THE YEAR in 2012, 2015 and 2024.
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