Rory McIlroy targets Race to Dubai success again on DP World Tour and ‘happy’ with life after moving away from golf’s politics

Rory McIlroy looks to win the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai for a seventh time; McIlroy returns as defending champion at the DP World Tour Championship – watch live on Thursday from 7am on Sky Sports Golf

 

 

Rory McIlroy feels he has a “responsibility” to prioritise the DP World Tour in a “fractured” men’s game and believes stepping away from his involvement in the sport’s politics has improved his life both on and off the course.

McIlroy arrives at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship with a commanding lead at the top of the standings, leaving the world No 2 closing in on a seventh Race to Dubai title and a fourth in as many years.

The 36-year-old won the PGA Tour’s FedExCup three times between his third Race to Dubai title in 2015 and fourth in 2022, with McIlroy since enjoying regular success on the DP World Tour as he looks to further close on Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight Order of Merits.

 

 

“There’s a wonderful heritage to this [DP World] tour,” McIlroy said ahead of the DP World Tour Championship. “I think with the fractured nature of the men’s professional game at the minute, this tour needs all of its stars to step up and play in the big events.

“I understand that I am one of those people and I want to do my utmost to help in whatever way that I can. I feel quite a responsibility to do that and to try to make this tour as strong as it can possibly be. I think that’s one part of it.

“The other part is I enjoy it. I enjoy the places that we play, the people that play on the [DP World] Tour, the people that work at the Tour. We’ve shared a lot great moments from Ryder Cups together and great times and it just feels a lot more like home.”

McIlroy ended an 11-year wait for a fifth major title and completed the career Grand Slam with victory at The Masters in April, with the DP World Tour since recognising his achievement by naming an award after him.

“It [desire] is certainly not gone, but I think it’s just going one of those things where I’m not going to have to pick and choose where to sort of place my desire and what I want my goals to be,” McIlroy added. “I’m certainly not less driven, but maybe just more driven in focused areas.

“I don’t feel like chasing as much anymore. I’m not out chasing the Grand Slam. I’m not chasing these things. I’m very content with what I’ve done in the game. I’m still driven to do more but you know, it’s sort of a pinpoint to drive in certain directions.

“When I say I’m not chasing anything, I think if I focused my energy on certain tournaments and try to play well at certain tournaments, then Race to Dubai is almost sort of takes care of itself.

 

 

“Hopefully these season-long awards are something that just come along because you’ve won some big tournaments along the way. I guess you could say I’m still chasing that, but I think that’s just more a by-product of playing the good golf that I know that I can.”