Rory McIlroy does not deny the obvious. He sees Bryson DeChambeau as a draw for the DP World Tour. But he also adds that, in his view, DeChambeau’s options have narrowed considerably. The Northern Irishman gave one of the most emphatic answers of his press conference on Tuesday at Jumeirah Golf Estates when asked what the American could bring to the European Tour.
«A name like Bryson DeChambeau, with everything that comes with it, the good and the bad, attracts attention, and that’s good for tournaments», he explained. Yes, he said the good and the bad. Rory doesn’t mince his words. That was the acknowledgement of DeChambeau’s ability to attract interest. What followed was much more pointed: «Honestly, I’m not in his situation, and I’d never want to be, but it doesn’t look like he has many options. If he wants to play competitive golf, it doesn’t look like he has many options».
The question came as the deadline to apply for membership of the DP World Tour was about to pass (next week), against a backdrop profoundly altered by LIV Golf’s announcement that it would begin an orderly wind-down of its operations. DeChambeau’s possible arrival on the European Tour is on the table, and it is inevitable that people will be discussing it around Jumeirah this week.
As for himself, Rory has a much more immediate goal: to catch Eugenio Chacarra and claim his eighth Race to Dubai, which would see him equal Colin Montgomerie’s record. The Madrid-born player arrives as the leader in the final week of the season; McIlroy is the pursuer, fully aware of the setting and the demands of this finale. He is not afraid to deliver a little dig.
«I cut the gap last week, perhaps not by as much as I wanted, but I felt it was a step in the right direction», he explained. His return to the Earth course puts him on particularly favourable ground: he has won the tournament three times and last year was back in contention for the title until the play-off with Matt Fitzpatrick. Rory emphasised all that experience. «This is a course that has treated me very well over the years. I have a lot of experience here and a lot of experience at the top of the leaderboard. I’ve also gone out in the final group on a Thursday».
When asked directly whether that knowledge could give him an advantage over Chacarra, he admitted: «Yes, I think there’s a small advantage there». That adds pressure to the leader before play has even begun. The Spaniard is defending his position against an opponent accustomed to winning here and settling these final scores of the season. Eugenio already knew that, but just in case, McIlroy has no problem reminding him.
«The course has changed and evolved a little over the years. This year, it certainly punishes missed tee shots much more. The rough is very, very thick. The ball is often sitting very badly in the rough», he warned.
There was also a moment for a joke. He was compared to Manchester United playing at Old Trafford. «I hope not», he replied with a laugh.
The press conference also included McIlroy’s views on Frank Kennedy’s disqualification at the DP World Tour Qualifying School Final. The Englishman was excluded for damaging the 11th-hole green during the fourth round at Infinitum, Tarragona. The committee applied Rule 1.2a for serious misconduct, and the Tour has upheld the decision after reviewing the case at the request of the player and his team.
Kennedy maintains that the damage was accidental: he says he made a movement with his putter as he walked off the green in frustration and that he repaired the damage. He also acknowledges that he should have called for a referee to check the repair.
His disqualification had a direct consequence for Luis Masaveu. The cut moved from −12 to −11, allowing the Madrid-born player, who had carded a 68 at the Lakes, to continue competing over the final two days of the Qualifying School.
Rory had discussed the matter with his caddie, Harry Diamond, out on the course. His response combined understanding of what a penalty like that means with support for the enforcement of proper behaviour.
«It seems harsh, but at the same time I think it’s good that golf and its authorities take a firm stance in situations like this. It’s a terribly unfortunate incident», he said.
McIlroy reiterated that professional golf needs to do a better job of controlling ball distance. He was asked whether it might be possible to reduce the size of driver heads instead of regulating the ball. His answer covered both options.
«I’m in favour of doing whatever is necessary to put a stop to the current situation. The ball, clubs… I think equipment at the highest level needs to be better regulated than it is right now».
The Northern Irishman believes that power has diminished the importance of other skills. «I think distance is a major problem in golf at the highest level because it perhaps takes away from other skills that were more prominent 20 or 30 years ago. I’m a bit of a perfect example of that, aren’t I? Last week I reached a couple of greens with my driver».
And that is precisely what does him credit. These are the words of one of the players who makes the most of his power: PGA Tour statistics place him second for average driving distance this season, at 330.3 yards. Rory knows full well the opportunities that come from hitting it further than everyone else and, as a result, shortening holes in particular.
He himself adds an obvious caveat: «The players who hit it the furthest will still be the ones who hit it the furthest». Reducing distances would not take away his power, nor would it necessarily mean he lost his advantage over his rivals. But it could force him to face longer second shots on those same holes.
