Rory McIlroy looks confident as he gets closer to joining Colin Montgomerie's DP World Tour club
McIlroy eyes fourth Dubai title and a shot at Montgomerie's record
Dubai: Rory McIlroy is relishing another opportunity to compete at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, where he will be aiming for a fourth title and a chance to move closer to Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight season-long European Tour crowns.
The Northern Irishman heads into the season finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates after finishing third at last week’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship. McIlroy carded rounds of 70, 63, 67 and 69 to finish 19 under par, four shots behind winner Jon Rahm. Despite missing out on the title, the result lifted him to second in the Race to Dubai standings.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, McIlroy said he was encouraged by his recent progress and the familiarity of the Earth Course, where he has enjoyed considerable success.
“Very excited to be back here and I’m very excited to be in contention for that,” he said. “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,” he said in the press conference after the Pro-Am event.
McIlroy also recalled last year’s dramatic finish, when he forced a play-off against Matt Fitzpatrick with an eagle on the 18th hole before losing to the Englishman on the first extra hole. Fitzpatrick claimed his third title at the event, while McIlroy secured his seventh Race to Dubai crown.
The 37-year-old has won the DP World Tour Championship three times, in 2012, 2015 and 2024. He will be hoping to add another victory at a venue where he has repeatedly delivered under pressure.
However, the bigger prize is the season-long title. McIlroy has seven Race to Dubai crowns, one behind Montgomerie, who holds the record with eight Order of Merit victories. A win in Dubai would bring him level with the former Scottish golfer, who also has a strong connection to the emirate through The Montgomerie Dubai golf course at Emirates Hills.
McIlroy remains behind Eugenio Chacarra in the standings, with 2,000 points available to the winner of the season finale. He knows a strong week could put him in position to match the record.
“I have a lot of experience up at the top end of the leaderboard, experience going out in that final group,” he said. “I’m excited to do it all over again and hopefully play well enough to give myself a real chance over the weekend.”
Both McIlroy and Chacarra are paired together for Round one at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. The DP World Tour Championship takes place from November 12 to 15, with the top 50 available players in the Race to Dubai competing for the season-ending title.
