McIlroy to keep key Middle East events in slimmed-down schedule

Rory McIlroy has confirmed he’ll continue playing the Middle East’s biggest golf events, opting instead to cut back on tournaments within his PGA Tour schedule.

This week’s DP World Tour Championship marks the 27th start of the season for the Northern Irishman, who began the year with a runner-up finish at the Dubai Invitational and now stands in prime position to secure a record sixth Race to Dubai title on Sunday.

In September, McIlroy announced plans to reduce his schedule, stating he intends to “cut it back to around 18 or 20 a year” in the coming seasons.

He has already committed to defending his Hero Dubai Desert Classic title in January, and his latest comments hint that he’ll also continue to include both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship in his calendar.

“I think I'm not going to miss these tournaments in the Middle East,” McIlroy said on the eve of the DP World Tour Championship.

“I'm not going to miss Wentworth. I'm not going to miss the Irish Open. I'm not going to miss The Scottish Open.

“But there was a few events this year in America that I played that I don't typically play, and I think that's where I'm going to have to trim a little bit.”

“But yeah, I have to remember, I'm 35 now. I'm not 23.”

McIlroy may have claimed just one DP World Tour title this season - the Hero Dubai Desert Classic - but his consistent performances across golf’s global circuit have earned him a strong lead in the Race to Dubai standings.

The 35-year-old has placed in the top three in five of his six solely sanctioned DP World Tour events, with his only slip being a T-25 finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

In golf’s four Major Championships, which also count toward the Race to Dubai, McIlroy achieved top-22 finishes at the Masters, U.S. Open, and PGA Championship, though he missed the cut at The Open.

His runner-up finish at the U.S. Open was perhaps the season’s toughest moment, as a late stumble - three bogeys in his final four holes - left him just shy of ending his decade-long Major drought, trailing behind winner Bryson DeChambeau.

He also came close at both the Amgen Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship, securing second place in both. Though the season fell short of his highest hopes, McIlroy found solace in the positives of yet another strong year.

“Yeah, incredibly consistent again,” he said.

“I think I've been really proud of that over the last few years. But then at the same time, you know, thinking about the ones that got away. I could be sitting up here with a fifth Major title and I am not. So that stings and that's something that I have to come to terms with but at the same time I've got plenty more opportunities in the future.

“But I really just tried to focus on the positives this year of consistently performing at the highest level. You know, still having three wins with an opportunity to get a fourth here this week, to win another Race to Dubai title.

“You know, did I achieve every goal I set for myself this year? Probably not.

“But I still consider it a successful season. You've got two guys at the top of the World Rankings down there winning two Majors. You know, Scottie winning a Masters and a PLAYERS and the Olympics.

“They certainly separated themselves from the pack this year. I'm obviously very aware of that, and it only makes me more motivated to try to emulate what they did this year.”