DUBAI: Rory McIlroy is drawing on past success at the Earth Course as he bids to equal Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight Race to Dubai titles at this week’s DP World Tour Championship.
Chasing a fifth successive season-long crown, McIlroy arrives at Jumeirah Golf Estates having narrowed the gap on leader Eugenio Chacarra with a third-place finish at last week’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.
McIlroy told the media on Tuesday: “I’m very excited to be back here, and yes, very excited to be in contention for the eighth (title).
“I made some ground up last week, maybe not as much as I wanted, but I felt like it was a step in the right direction.”
McIlroy has had another year to remember, capturing a second successive Green Jacket at the Masters in April and recording multiple top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish at the BMW PGA Championship.
Now returning to a venue where he boasts three victories — the latest in 2024 — and 10 other top 10 finishes in 15 previous starts, the world No. 2 will have a chance at making more history, currently sitting 533.93 points behind Chacarra.
While the Northern Irishman will likely need at least a top-four finish and other results to go his way to claim an eighth title, his record at the Earth…
