Rory McIlroy made feelings clear on matching golf | Golf News

Rory McIlroy is on the hunt for his seventh Race To Dubai title this weekend, a yr after an emotional second when he matched the document of a Ryder Cup legend.

McIlroy is set to compete at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, where a strong displaying at Jumeirah Golf Estates might secure him his seventh order of benefit crown. This would put him just one behind the all-time document holder, Colin Montgomerie.

McIlroy has claimed the DP World Tour’s top prize for three consecutive years, and his 2024 victory tied him with the legendary Seve Ballesteros with six order of benefit titles. Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton are the only rivals who can stop McIlroy from breaking Ballesteros’ document this Sunday.

Last yr, McIlroy secured the title by profitable the DP World Tour Championship at the Earth Course. He was overcome with emotion upon realizing that he had matched Ballesteros’ document.

“It’s really cool, I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf, to Ryder cup players,” said an emotional McIlroy.

“The European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve [on the wall]. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from 1995, the last Ryder Cup he played. He means so much to European golf, and for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”

McIlroy is a devoted pupil and historian of the game, and during his pre-tournament media session on Tuesday, he expressed his deep satisfaction with his DP World Tour accomplishments and his pursuit of the information held by the circuit’s legendary figures.

“[The DP World Tour] means a lot to me. These are the people I grew up idolising. I remember my mom and dad bringing me to Wentworth for the World Match Play back in the day,” he said.

“First time I saw Seve in the flesh. I remember watching Monty win it. Just the names that are synonymous with European golf and doing great things for this tour and for the Ryder Cup Team. You know, to be up there alongside them is something that I’m really, really proud of.

“To transfer from six to seven, to go one past Seve could be superb. To get one nearer to Monty could be superb.

“But I think 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 just — it sort of takes care of itself. You know, hopefully these season-long awards are something that just come along because you’ve won some big tournaments along the way.

“So yeah, I suppose you would say I’m still chasing that, but I believe that’s just more a byproduct of taking part in the great golf that I do know that I can.”