Rory McIlroy stands on the verge of making history in Dubai, tied for the lead with just 18 holes to play in the DP World Tour Championship.
The Northern Irishman shot a solid 4-under 68 on Saturday, putting him at 12 under alongside Rasmus Hojgaard and Antoine Rozner. He’s practically got the season-long Race to Dubai trophy locked up already – his closest challenger is eight shots behind.
Name
Events
Top 10
Money
Rory McIlroy
257
125
$90,989,348
But McIlroy isn’t completely happy with how he played.
“A little disappointed how I played those last five holes,” he admitted after failing to make any birdies down the stretch, including on two par-5s that usually yield good scoring chances.
The finishing hole particularly frustrated him. With just a 6-iron in his hands from 187 yards out, he pushed his shot into a bunker after getting distracted by the group ahead.
“I had to wait an extra two or three minutes,” McIlroy explained. “Let that affect me a little bit and I came out of the 6-iron.”
Despite the late stumbles, he’s in prime position to pull off what’s known as the Dubai double – winning both the tournament and the season-long Race to Dubai title. He’s done it twice before, and he’s going for his sixth Race to Dubai crown overall.
“It’s a great opportunity to end the year on a really high note,” McIlroy said. “I’m going to give it everything I can.”
But there’s more than just trophies on the line tomorrow.
For France’s Antoine Rozner, currently tied with McIlroy, a win could change his career. He’s sitting at No. 15 in the rankings for PGA Tour cards, and victory would rocket him into position to earn playing rights on the world’s richest tour.
There’s also a great story developing with 21-year-old Tom McKibbin, who grew up playing at McIlroy’s home club in Northern Ireland. Known as “Lil’ Rory” in his junior days, McKibbin shot 67 on Saturday to move into contention for one of those precious PGA Tour spots.
The final round promises plenty of drama – not just for the tournament title, but for several players chasing their American dream.
