Rory McIlroy has hinted he would likely accept honorary UAE citizenship if it were ever offered.
The Northern Irishman shares a deep bond with the UAE, where he has enjoyed remarkable success. McIlroy has claimed seven titles in the country, including four Hero Dubai Desert Classic victories - the first of which marked his maiden professional win.
He has also triumphed three times at the DP World Tour Championship, most recently equalling Jon Rahm’s record with his gutsy performance at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Sunday.
Adding to his bond with the region, the 35-year-old spent four years living in Dubai and has frequently described the Emirate as his "home away from home."
“I have never been offered [UAE citizenship] but if I were to be offered, I probably would take it, yeah,” said McIlroy in his post DP World Tour Championship press conference.
“I lived here for four years. I was a resident. I love this part of the world. I always have. I was lucky enough to receive an invite to the Dubai Desert Classic in 2006 as an amateur, and I've been coming back to this region every year since.
“It’s been 18 pretty cool years. There have been a lot of fond memories along the way, and as long as this region continues to be an important part of the world of golf, I'll keep coming back whether that’s with citizenship or not.”
“I love coming back here, and I have a lot of friends, and I try to make it a point to come back as much as I can.”
McIlroy’s third triumph at the DP World Tour Championship was a spectacular end to the season, but his 2024 campaign on the DP World Tour will likely be remembered for its near misses.
The year began with heartbreak at the Dubai Invitational, where a misstep on the final day saw him find the water at the 18th hole while holding a one-shot lead, ultimately finishing as runner-up to Tommy Fleetwood.
Five months later, McIlroy endured perhaps the most crushing moment of his career, narrowly missing the chance to end a decade-long Major drought. Bogeys on three of his final four holes at the U.S. Open left him as runner-up for the second consecutive year.
The pain didn’t end there. McIlroy was edged out again at the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship, finishing second at both marquee events on the DP World Tour.
After what he called his most draining season to date, his victory on the Earth course on Sunday carried extra significance. A brilliant finish over the final three holes not only secured the win but also provided the World No.3 with a springboard for more success.
“I'm going to look back on 2024 and I'm going to have four wins, three individual ones, two in Dubai, Quail Hollow and the win with Shane (Lowry) at the Zurich Classic,” he said.
“But I know that my 2024 is going to be defined, at least by others, by the tournaments that I didn't win as much as the tournaments that I did.
“This was an incredibly meaningful day for me to get over the line to win my last event of the season.
“It's been a long year. This is my 27th event of the year, and you know, to dig deep when I have had to, especially the last three holes, the swings on 16, the swing on 17 and the two swings on the last, if I look back on this week, that's what I'm going to remember and that's what I'm going to take with me going forward.”
