World number two Rory McIlroy will fancy his chances of a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai victory for the Harry Vardon Trophy at the Jumeirah Golf Estates this week. Image courtesy DPWT.
By Rahul Banerji
Rory McIlroy will bank on history at the Earth course in his bid to match Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight Race to Dubai titles at this week’s DP World Tour Championship.
Chasing a fifth successive crown, McIlroy arrives at Jumeirah Golf Estates having closed in on leader Eugenio Chacarra with a third-place finish at last week’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, the DPWT said.
In 2026, McIlroy captured his second successive Green Jacket at the Masters in April and recording multiple top-ten placings, including a runner-up finish at the BMW PGA Championship.
“I’m very excited to be back here, and very excited to be in contention for the eighth,” McIlroy said on Tuesday.
“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.
“Getting back to a place where I’ve played well and had a lot of success, even last year in the playoff with Matt (Fitzpatrick) it’s been a course that’s been very good to me over the years.
“I have a lot of experience on it and a lot of experience up at the top end of the leaderboard. Experience going out in that final group on a Thursday.
Memorable win
“I’ll always remember the first (Race to Dubai title) pretty well because of how I did it. I birdied the last five holes in a row, I think. Justin Rose was making a big push. He finished really well. So that was a cool way to win.”
Now back at a venue where he has three victories – the last in 2024 – and 10 other top tens in 15 starts, the world no. 2 has a chance at making history here, currently 533.93 points behind Spain’s 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 course means he comes in with confidence about his chances.
Last week’s winner Jon Rahm pushed himself into Race to Dubai contention once again with his record sixth Rolex Series title in Abu Dhabi.
The Spaniard, who took the European no. 1 crown in 2019, also has an enviable record over the Earth Course with three victories, a tied fourth and tied fifth place finish in his five previous appearances.
Well-placed
The two-time Major winner now enters the season-ending event sixth in the rankings, knowing that another win in Dubai could be enough to get his hands on the Harry Vardon trophy for a second time.
“Coming in with a little extra incentive,” the Spaniard said.
“I really didn’t think even winning last week I was going to have a chance to possibly win the Race to Dubai at all. So obviously gives this week a little bit more meaning than it did before.
“I’ve played really good golf this year. It’s just that unfortunately some of my not-so-good weeks happened to be in the Majors.
“Besides the PGA where I had a decent chance of winning, the other three majors, I didn’t do a good enough job.
“I had to win (the DP World Tour Championship) in 2019 in order to be able to win it. I think it was a hard-fought day that Sunday, and birdieing the last when I needed to to win it all was very, very special.
“It would mean a great deal. I think it would just be more of a step towards hopefully getting closer to what Seve (Ballesteros) was able to achieve.”
American Patrick Reed is aiming to finish the season as he started, with victory in Dubai.
Hot start
Currently third in the Rankings, Reed kick-started his bid to become just the second American to take the season-long honours with his maiden Rolex Series victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January.
Reed is aiming to go one better than his second place Race to Dubai finish in 2018 — the year he claimed the Masters title — and the five-time DP World Tour winner is ready to make his move to the finish line on Sunday.
“The mindset coming in obviously is it’s a sprint. I mean, we have one tournament, kind of have to go out there with Rory and Eugenio ahead of me,” Reed noted.
“You have to think the only way to win the whole thing is by winning this golf tournament.
“So you have one opportunity. Go out there and try and get it done, and that’s kind of the mindset going into this. Just put it down, step down on the gas and get going.
“The good thing is I’m at a golf course I’m really comfortable had. I’ve had success at this place. The game feels good and ready to go. Just kind of itching for Thursday to get here.”
Also read: Jon Rahm caps Abu Dhabi debut with Aldar Championship title
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