GOLF:RORY McILROY may have won fewer tournaments than he would have liked at this stage of his short career, but he does appear to be developing an uncanny knack of coming out on top at the right time.
His first career win at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2009 saw the teenager lay down a marker for what was to be stunning second season in which he pushed Lee Westwood all the way in the European order of merit.
His emphatic second at Quail Hollow in 2010 announced him on the PGA stage just around the time insular American fans and media were suggesting he was all hype, and was also set against the backdrop of an extraordinary collapse by Tiger Woods.
Following his own capitulation in the US Masters in April this year, he stayed dignified in the face of unjustified and unhelpful criticism, before returning to the Major stage to win the US Open with an eight-shot cushion. Yesterday morning at the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters, he bagged the biggest cheque on offer in world golf to bring his tournament earnings for the year to around €4 million.
The prize money for the unsanctioned event will count nowhere but in his pocket and that of new management company Horizon, whose coup in prising the 22-year-old away from Chubby Chandler’s ISM has delivered.
“I’ll be the first to say I haven’t won enough in my four years as a pro. I should have won a lot more,” McIlroy said after beating Anthony Kim at the first play-off hole.
It’s that sort of attitude that prompted him to make the tough call and drop Chandler.
Two million dollars later and it’s hard to argue with the logic or the decision to attend an event criticised by the Asian Tour as a “vanity” tournament for the worlds elite. McIlroy will have picked up an undisclosed appearance fee on top of the prize money, as, effectively, did the 29 other players.
Even China’s Hao Yuan in last place took home $25,000 (€17,500) from the $5 million fund, while Pádraig Harrington, in a share of 12th, collected $81,300 (€57,200) and Kim earned $750,000 (€530,000).
The tournament also serves as something of an acclimatiser for this week’s WGC Champions event in Shanghai. There McIlroy, currently second on the European Tour money-list, will have his sights on overtaking world number one Luke Donald to win the order of merit that culminates at the Dubai World Championship in December. Donald, however, will not travel to China as his wife is expecting their second child.
“I want to get closer to Luke (Donald) in the Race to Dubai. I know he’s not playing next week and I feel I am playing well enough to contend there. So a big week next week could put me in the frame to win the Race to Dubai.”
With that in mind, McIlroy is taking as a positive his ability to close out against Kim after almost letting it slip from his grasp. There were hints of Augusta when, after beginning the day three clear, he bogeyed the first and Kim birdied to cut the deficit to one.
He then dropped another shot at the 11th to trail by one but drew level with a birdie at the long 15th and parred the final three holes to tie on 18 under with a 72 to Kim’s 69.
It wasn’t ideal, but it gave him the opportunity to win a play-off for the first time, after losing out in the European Masters and Hong Kong Open in 2008, and he was pleased with his response.
“Today was great for me . . . under pressure on the back nine. One behind, with four to play. To win from that position gives me a lot of satisfaction. I don’t care how I win as long as my name is on that trophy at the end of the day.”
