Rory McIlroy (-15) has won the DP World Tour Championship, thus achieving an admirable double, as his victory in the Race to Dubai, the sixth of his career, was almost certain since Saturday. He won the tournament, not without some difficulties, after signing a Sunday 69 and leaving his stellar playing partner and main rival throughout the day, Rasmus Hojgaard (-13), two strokes behind.
The Northern Irishman had never been seen so emotional after a victory. This was aptly noted by Javier Pinedo, commentator for Movistar +, who was bidding farewell to viewers today after several decades at the microphone and covering golf news. It will be a matter, dear Javier, of still meeting on those golf courses to continue celebrating life…
To a certain extent, Rory’s tears are surprising, so accustomed as he is to success and even the sweet taste of victory, although logically he cannot win as many tournaments as he would like (this year ‘only’ three have fallen, four if we count the Zurich Classic, a pairs tournament he won alongside Shane Lowry). But it hasn’t been an easy year for him. Neither personally, as he has pointed out, with that near-divorce finally resolved in family privacy, nor professionally, mainly due to that dramatic outcome of a U.S. Open that was so well on track when it marked ten years since his last Major victory, a time that still feels like an eternity, considering this extraordinary player.
Rory broke down in tears (he was going to do it sooner or later, it’s true) precisely remembering the legacy of Seve, who also won the European ranking six times, the enduring mark of the Cantabrian genius in the Ryder Cup, a competition that is undoubtedly one of the great drivers and incentives of McIlroy’s career, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
The Northern Irishman won on a tricky Earth course and did it his way. Starting with a bogey on the 1st hole and then stringing together four consecutive birdies, before getting into somewhat more confusing situations and losing his composure on the greens… All very Rory. He finally won by leaving his mark as a golf legend with a wonderful second shot on the 16th hole, where he left a decisive birdie almost given and wasn’t far from holing it from about 127 metres.
Ahead of the stellar match, no contender managed to make things difficult for Rory and Rasmus. Rozner bid farewell with a double bogey on the 9th, the same as Svensson; and Hatton and Niemann, the sharp LIV pair who came in the penultimate match, passed the midpoint of the round with a one-over-par for the day. The course wasn’t set for great comebacks, with a 67 from Andy Sullivan and 68s from Lowry and Scott being the best scores of the day. It was Rory’s day, with the permission of a Rasmus Hojgaard who still has some way to go to become a mega star, but the man from Holywood had to finish proving it: his accurate tee shot on the 16th, his second shot on the same hole, already described, his tee shot on the 17th, par 3, surely one of the best of the day, the surgical drive on the 18th… Yes, it was Rory’s day, the guy who legitimately aspires to be the best European player in history and who, for now, we can already label as the best European player of the 21st century.
The double also turned into a triple, a hat trick, shortly before signing his last card of the year. You had to see that hug with Tom McKibbin, at the foot of the signing office, when the young Northern Irish talent, also from Holywood, confirmed to him that he had secured PGA Tour playing rights. The young Tom doesn’t have just any mentor…
A perfect day for McIlroy and also, why not say it, for the DP World Tour, which undoubtedly gains value with the feats of this living legend. When you walk hand in hand with these guys, you tread on solid ground. And Rory’s commitment to the European circuit seems stronger than ever.
