Dubai: Mike Lorenzo-Vera won the hearts — if not the title — at the DP World Tour Championship as his valiant 70 came up just short behind Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood.
But the Frenchman blasted a warning to the men who finished above him at the Earth Course, saying they were only ‘human’.
Lorenzo-Vera became the poster boy for the season-ending European Tour event in Dubai with all the neutrals rooting for him as he mixed it with Fleetwood, Rahm and Rory McIlroy over four days.
Sadly he was not to win, but he has vowed to claim bigger and better acclaim next season — as long as Rory is not contending.
“I am delighted with how I played,” he said, before adding: “To even be mentioned in the same sentence as Tommy and Jon is amazing.
“But there was one man out there who is a legend among the others. I cannot believe I was able to contend with Rory. There are two men who are the ultimate in golf: Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
“I beat him today. Tommy and Jon are just human and the rest are just human. Rory and Tiger are something else. I cannot believe over four days that I beat him by five shots. It is insane.”
Looking forward to the 2020 season, Lorenzo-Vera said everyone will get to know his name. “I came here as an also-ran — no one knew my name — and I almost won. But almost is not good enough. Sure it pays the flights and the hotels but I want that silverware. It will be in my bag soon, I promise.
This time next year, they will all know my name.”
