Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes Race to Dubai victory will boost Rory McIlroy’s ambition to be remembered as the best European golfer of all-time.
McIlroy arrived at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship second in the season-long standings, with the world No 2 looking to win the Race to Dubai for an eighth time and a fifth year in a row.
Winning the Harry Vardon Trophy would see him match Colin Montgomerie’s tally of eight Order of Merit titles, with McIlroy making a strong start by posting an opening-round 69 at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
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Highlights from the first round of the DP World Tour Championship, where Joost Luiten grabbed the early lead
McIlroy moved within two shots of early leader Joost Luiten and three strokes clear of Eugenio Chacarra, the player ahead of him in the rankings, with McGinley expecting the Northern Irishman to keep pushing forward and contend for more Dubai success.
“When he’s got a finishing point in mind and a goal that he really wants to achieve, he generally delivers,” McGinley told Sky Sports. “This means a lot to him to surpass Monty (Colin Montgomerie).
“I think he’s going to be right here until the end. Whether he gets over the line or not, we don’t know – golf is not that predictable, but I like where he’s at. I think he’s trending well and he was the outstanding player of the leading players today (first round).
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Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir explains how Rory McIlroy can win the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai for a record-equalling eighth time
“We talk about his game evolving, but I think his mind has evolved as well too. It’s very hard to go out and put in the 101 per cent effort week in, week out with all the other stuff that he’s got going on in his life.
“What you’re seeing now is a McIlroy who’s picking his battles. Obviously winning majors is a big part of that and he’s getting better at that, with two Masters in the last two years, and we’re starting to see this Order of Merit become more important to him.
“I don’t think we’re going to see him maybe back to the world No 1 again, because that takes two years of consistency and that’s not where he’s at the moment – he’s more concerned with other battles that are more important to him.
“He wants to be the outstanding, unquestionable best European player of all time and he’s certainly on the way to that. Winning more Order of Merits than everybody else is a big part of that, on top of winning majors.”
Three-horse battle for Race to Dubai victory?
Nine players entered the week with a mathematical chance of winning the Race to Dubai, but Chacarra, McIlroy and Patrick Reed were the only three who could potentially move to No 1 without winning the season finale.
Reed made an over-par start as Casey Jarvis, Jayden Schaper, Aaron Rai and Ryan Fox – all requiring a victory and results to go their way – also failed to break bar, seeing their slip Race to Dubai hopes fade.
“Some guys have taken themselves out of the equation in terms of the Race to Dubai, but I think this tournament is open,” McGinley added. “McIlroy looked particularly good, but Chacarra is not going to roll over easily!
“I think it’s three-horse race – Rahm’s still a factor and I thought, coming into this week, that McIlroy, Chacarra and Rahm were the three with the best chance.
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Jon Rahm won the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, his first DP World Tour title since The Masters in 2023
“Patrick Reed came out of the blocks really early and got a lot of ranking points at the start of the season, but he’s gone off form in the last couple of months and it’s no surprise to see him drifting away.
“A few guys have come to the party this year that McIlroy might not have had in previous years. It’s not as straightforward to win the Race to Dubai as it might have been in previous years – McIlroy knows he’s in a battle.”
McIlroy claimed his maiden Order of Merit in 2012 before winning back-to-back titles from 2014, with the now 37-year-old proud of his longevity.
“I’ve never lost my enthusiasm for the game,” McIlroy said after his opening round. “This game can beat you down at times and make you quite cynical – I’ve never let it get to me like that.
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Rory McIlroy reflected on a positive start to the DP World Tour Championship and discussed his plans to push forward
“I’ve seen some others throughout the years, where it has gotten to them a little bit. I’ve always tried to be grateful that I get to play this game for a living.
“I think that gratitude and that enthusiasm to go to the golf course and compete every day, I’ve never lost that. Hopefully I never will lose that until I decide to hang ’em up.”
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