McIlroy, Sullivan on track in Dubai

Rory McIlroy won Dubai’s DP World Tour Championship yesterday, overhauling overnight leader Andy Sullivan with four birdies on the back nine to also be crowned Europe’s top money earner for a third year in four.

After starting the final round a shot behind Andy Sullivan, McIlroy carded eight birdies to surge into a two-shot lead with two holes to play, only to then dump his tee shot into the water on the par-three 17th.

After hitting his third shot from the drop zone, McIlroy did what great players do and drained a 40-foot bogey putt and gave a fist pump as he was able to keep a one-stroke lead over Sullivan.

Sullivan started the final round on 16 under par – one shot ahead of McIlroy.

“It’s definitely the longest putt I’ve ever made for a bogey”, McIlroy said of his adventures at his 71st hole.

And the man who won twice in South Africa at the start of the season and the Portugal Masters last month, said: “Just to come up head-to-head with someone of Rory’s quality, it was absolutely awesome and something that will stick with me for a long time going forward”. Whether it’s Jordan Spieth or Jason Day or anyone else, I have certain objectives throughout the year and it doesn’t matter who it is, I just want to play the best golf possible.

Willett needed to finish ahead of McIlroy to pip him to in the money list – but ended the week tied for fourth.

The four-time major winner’s victory at the European Tour finale provided an upbeat ending to a topsy-turvy season.

World No. 42 Lahiri got birdies on the second, seventh, 10th, 14th, 15th and 18th holes against bogeys on the third, fourth, 12th, 16th and 17th for a 71 that took his total to five-under 283 (73-67-72-71).

“I think every time you go to Augusta, there’s a lot of hype”.

Sullivan briefly held a three-shot advantage after birdieing four of his opening six holes, only for McIlroy to bounce back with a hat-trick of gains from the fifth.

McIlroy admitted that one holed putt of around 25ft on the 17th green at Jumeirah’s Earth course was the different between winning and losing the DP World title.

“I’ve played really good golf this week”.

This was the week Rory McIlroy reasserted his credentials as the deepest talent in golf, a player so gifted that when all the gears are engaged few can live with him.

It helped the Italian to a round of four under 68 and a tie for fourth place alongside Willett, Byeong Hun An, Emiliano Grillo, Charl Schwartzel and Matthew Fitzpatrick on 13 under par 271.

After 41 years, the official starter on the European Tour said a final, emotional goodbye as he hung up his microphone.

His home is Northern Ireland, he lives much of the year in Florida, but Rory McIlroy might want to apply for permanent residency in the Middle East, specifically Dubai – if he hasn’t done so already.