Rory McIlroy’s path to another Race to Dubai title faces just one significant obstacle: Marco Penge, the breakthrough star who’s enjoying a three-win season on the European tour.
There’s a twist, though. Penge has been battling illness this week, confined to his bed and barely seeing the Earth Course ahead of the World Tour Championship. His solution? YouTube.
“I was actually lying in bed yesterday watching Rory play all four rounds from last year on YouTube,” Penge revealed Wednesday. “So I felt like I had a pretty good idea before I got here today.”
“I was seeing what holes he hits driver off, etc. And I’ll get a good idea tomorrow when I watch him play as well.”
The English golfer will get an up-close view, paired with McIlroy for the first two rounds in Dubai, just as he was at last week’s Abu Dhabi Championship.
“I’m just approaching the week, watching Rory play golf, making the most of that experience. Learning from him like I did last week in the first two rounds. He’s got more experience than me, and he’s world No. 2 right now,” Penge said.
“I’ll be just be in his shadow, I suppose, and trying to follow him around the golf course,” he added, laughing.
The math is clear for Penge, who sits second in the Race to Dubai standings, approximately 767 points behind McIlroy. To overtake the Northern Irishman, Penge needs either a win (with McIlroy finishing worse than solo second) or a tie for second (with McIlroy finishing well down the leaderboard).
After missing Monday and Tuesday at the course, Penge managed nine practice holes Wednesday morning.
“It’s pretty new to me,” Penge admitted about the course. “It’s still a golf course, fairways and greens, and that’s the plan, I suppose. You can see it. Just got to hit it straight.”
