Tag: DP World Tour Championship

Nicolai Hojgaard wins DP World Tour Championship, Rory McIlroy claims Race to Dubai

McIlroy now owns five Race to Dubai titles.

For the fifth time in his career and second year in a row, Rory McIlroy claimed the DP World Tour’s season-long Race to Dubai title. However, he wasn’t victorious this week as that honor went to his Ryder Cup teammate, Nicolai Hojgaard.

Hojgaard, who finished second at last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, closed with an 8-under 64 at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course that included a stretch of five straight birdies on the back nine – Nos. 13-17 – to beat Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Wallace and Viktor Hovland by two shots. This was the 22-year-old’s third DP World Tour title and first Rolex Series win.

“It means a lot. It’s the sweetest one,” he said. “It’s so much hard work been put in the last couple years, and this year has been a really good year if I look back on it, I feel like the only thing I need, was missing, was a win, and to get it this week, this field, is unbelievable.

“I mean, I can’t believe it’s just happened.”

McIlroy, who tied for 22nd at 10 under, sounded satisfied after winning yet another season-long title.

“It’s great. I think it shows my consistency year-to-year. I think over the last ten years, I think I’ve won eight season-long titles between America and between here, so it just shows my level of consistency,” he said. “I said to Harry on the last green, there’s a few guys that are able to beat me sort of one week or the next week but I don’t think there’s a lot of people that can beat me throughout the entire season.”

Mattieu Pavon, Jon Rahm and Thirston Lawerence rounded out the top five at 17 under.

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Matt Wallace shoots 60 at DP World Tour Championship, birdies every hole on back nine

“I mean, 60 out here, that’s ridiculous.”

It was a special round for Matt Wallace on Saturday at the DP World Tour Championship.

The 32-year-old from England shot 12-under 60 in the third round at the DP World Tour Championship, moving into the lead by one shot with 18 holes to play at Jumeirah Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Wallace, who has four DP World Tour wins in his career, leads Viktor Hovland, the 2023 FedEx Cup champion, and Tommy Fleetwood by one shot.

Wallace’s round was special, marked by nine straight birdies on the back nine to shoot 27 and card a 60, the lowest round on the DP World Tour this season.

2023 DP World Tour Championship
Matt Wallace of England walks to the 18th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on November 18, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

“What a day, an amazing day,” Wallace said. “Just tried my hardest to get myself back into the tournament. I’m really happy that I’ve been able to do that. Played great.

“Again at the end, I didn’t even think there was a 59. Honestly I think it helped me a little bit. I just played nicely coming down the stretch, just keep getting one more if I could and I managed to do that.”

Wallace’s eagle chip on the 18th hole came up just short of the hole, however, a closing birdie to cap the stellar back nine was a feather in the cap of the best round of Wallace’s life. With a win Sunday, he would win his first Rolex Series title, even though Rory McIlroy has captured the Race to Dubai, the DP World Tour’s season-long points race, for the fifth time.

Hovland and Fleetwood matched 66s on Saturday, continuing their trend from the first two days after matching 69s and 66s the first two days.

Even the FedEx Cup champion was impressed with Wallace’s day.

“That’s ridiculous,” Hovland said. “You know, it played easier today, not a lot of wind. Greens were soft. But the greens are very grainy. It’s hard to make putts. On some of the pin locations, like 17, for example, I don’t know, that’s a tough one to get close to. So there is a lot of good pins. And yeah, I mean, 60 out here, that’s ridiculous.”

Before teeing off, Rory McIlroy meets up with the most famous athlete in the world you’ve likely never heard of

Tendulkar is huge on social media, with more than 39 million followers on X and another 44 million on Instagram.

It’s been a stretch for sports crossovers.

Jon Rahm recently threw out the first pitch at the World Series. Four PGA Tour stars teed it up with four F1 drivers in Las Vegas in the first-ever live golf event on Netflix. Ahead of the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic this week, some of those wacky Savannah Bananas participated in the pro-am as well as the 11th annual RSM Wiffle Ball Classic with some of the golfer’s wives.

Prior to his first round at the DP World Tour Championship, Rory McIlroy chopped it up with the most famous athlete in the world you’ve maybe never heard of.

OK, perhaps that’s a stretch but most Americans don’t follow the sport of cricket so maybe they don’t recognize the name Sachin Tendulkar, even though he’s a true legend in his own right. Considered the most prolific batsmen in his sport, Tendulkar is huge on social media, with more than 39 million followers on X and another 44 million on Instagram.

McIlroy gave Tendulkar a signed DP World Tour flag and got a wicket and India shirt signed by Tendulkar in return. They also posed for some photos.

McIlroy has already clinched the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai.

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Ryder Cupper Nicolai Hojgaard among leaders after first round of 2023 DP World Tour Championship

Catch up on the action here.

Rory McIlroy has already clinched the season-long Race to Dubai title, but there’s still hardware on the line this week at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

European Ryder Cupper Nicolai Hojgaard is tied for the lead at 5 under alongside Julien Guerrier and Matthieu Pavon. Guerrier and Pavon were bogey free on Thursday, while Hojgaard was 1 over through six holes before closing his round with six birdies over the final 12 holes.

“I played really well today,” Hojgaard said. “Drove it well from hole No. 1 to 18, even though it was a little bit of a circus on 18, felt really solid. Got on a run. You know there’s a few chances out there, so it’s just about keep hitting good shots and stay present, and I feel I did a good job today.”

Jens Dantorp, Antoine Rozner and Adrian Meronk are tied for fourth at 4 under while a group including Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Kim, Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre sit 3 under, T-7.

DP World Tour Championship: Leaderboard

McIlroy opened with a 1-under 71 that included an interesting fan interaction when his tee shot landed in a spectator’s lap.

World No. 3 Jon Rahm, who won this event last year, shot an even-par 72.

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Rory McIlroy playing TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver at DP World Tour Championship

Close-up images of Rory McIlroy’s TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver.

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As Golfweek reported on Monday, several new drivers were added to the USGA’s List of Conforming Driver Heads, including the yet-to-be-released TaylorMade Qi10 LS. While TaylorMade has not released any official information about the Qi10 LS, based on the USGA notes and images, we now see it has a sliding weight in the sole, a carbon fiber face and a sole geometry that is similar to the SIM, SIM 2, Stealth and Stealth 2 drivers.

On Tuesday, as Rory McIlroy was preparing for this week’s DP Tour World Championship in the United Arab Emirates, he said that while he wanted to win the tournament, it might serve as a great place to test the Qi10 LS in competition and that he was considering using it.

On Thursday, as he showed up on the first tee of the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Qi10 LS was under his familiar dog head cover. That gave on-site photographers a chance to take close-up photos of the driver and for us to try to get more details on it.

Here are some close-up looks of the TaylorMade Qi10 LS.

Jon Rahm wins third DP World Tour Championship; Rory McIlroy claims fourth season title

It was the Rahm and Rory show at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship.

It was the Rahm and Rory show at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship.

Jon Rahm shot a 5-under 67 on Sunday to win the tour’s season finale in Dubai at 20 under, two shots ahead of Tyrrell Hatton and Alex Noren. With the win, he becomes the first player to win the tour championship for a third time.

Rory McIlroy’s lucky number this week at Jumeirah Golf Estates was four, as in, he’s now been crowned European Number One four times. McIlroy closed with a 68 for a solo fourth-place finish and clinched the points race when Matt Fitzpatrick tied for fifth. McIlroy earns the Harry Vardon trophy as a result, something he also took home in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

“It’s been seven years I last did it. This is my fourth one but it’s been a while, I’ve won three FedEx Cups since the last time I won this and it means a lot,” he said.

Only Colin Montgomerie (eight) and Seve Ballesteros (six) have more Vardon trophies.

For Rahm, this win marks his ninth DP World Tour victory and third worldwide title in 2022.

“Hopefully, people can stop telling it has been a bad year,” he said.

Rahm began the day with a one-shot lead and started his final 18 with three straight birdies. He bogeyed the fourth but added birdies on Nos. 7, 13 and 15. He now has three wins and four top-5s at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course.

“I like this course and this course likes me. I hope this is the third of many more,” he said.

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Jon Rahm ‘maximized the round’ on moving day to take lead at 2022 DP World Tour Championship

The DP World Tour’s rankings prize is up for grabs.

Following Friday’s second round at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship, Jon Rahm felt as if he left a couple shots on the course during his 6-under performance.

On Saturday, his thoughts couldn’t have been more different.

“I don’t think I could have shot any lower today. Maximized the round,” Rahm said. “Wasn’t my best off the tee, but I was able to actually get some birdies out of some not so good situations. I didn’t hit any of the fairways on the par 5s and still played them 3-under par.”

Rahm fired a 7-under 65 on moving day to nab the lead at 15 under for the tournament heading into the final round. He trailed 36-hole leaders Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton by four shots before the third round, but now those two are chasing the Spaniard.

Ranked fifth in the world, Rahm had seven birdies and no bogeys at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Saturday. He leads Fitzpatrick, who shot 2 under, by one and Alex Noren by two. Hatton and Rory McIlroy are T-4 at 12 under, three back. McIlroy matched Rahm with a 7-under performance.

As it stands, McIlroy is projected to win the DP World Tour points standings. There remains plenty of fluidity in the points race with 18 holes to go, but it’s clear what McIlroy’s goal is.

“It’s really cool, I’ve got to this stage in the game over 15 years as a pro, and I’m still trying to do things for the first time,” McIlroy said. “I’ve never won the FedEx Cup and this tour’s rankings in the same year, so it would be really nice.

“It’s been a wonderful year. I’ve played some really, really great golf and really consistent golf. If I’m able to go out there tomorrow and shoot a good score and get the job done, it would be a really nice way to end what’s been a great year.”

Fitzpatrick, projected second in the standings, could nab the title with a victory as long as McIlroy doesn’t finish solo second.

However, those two are both chasing Rahm heading to Sunday in Dubai.

“I’m hoping come tomorrow I can be a little better off the tee, and still keep the good iron play and good putting going,” Rahm said.

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Co-leader Tyrrell Hatton gets tough crowd on 18th hole after big par save at 2022 DP World Tour Championship

The two names at the top remained the same after the second round.

Tyrrell Hatton was thrilled with his par save on the 18th hole.

The crowd at Jumeirah Golf Estates? Not so much.

Hatton’s tee shot on the par 5 went into the creek meandering the fairway, so he dropped his ball about 250 yards from the green. He smoked a 3 wood  and two-putted for par. This comes a day after making bogey on the closing hole.

Yet the fans encompassing the green didn’t give much of a response to his shot.

“That’s probably one of the best 3-woods I’ve hit in my life, to be fair, and I didn’t realize it was as close as it was,” Hatton said. “It was a tough crowd on 18. Nice way to finish the day.”

Hatton fired a second-round 5-under 67 and remains tied with Matt Fitzpatrick at 12 under with 36 holes left in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The duo played together Friday after matching 65s on Thursday, and they again copied each other in the second round.

Hatton’s round consisted of eight birdies, three bogeys and the clutch par save on the 18th. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick’s first bogey of the week came on the 12th hole, but he countered with three birdies on the front and back nine to maintain a share of the lead.

Fitzpatrick has won twice before at the DP World Tour Championship. A third win would help him clinch the season-long points race.

“I feel really comfortable with where my game is at, particularly after three weeks off and looking forward to the weekend,” Fitzpatrick said.

The duo has a three-shot lead on Alex Noren and Adri Arnaus, who sit at 9 under. Jon Rahm, who shot 6-under 66 on Friday, is at 8 under and tied for fifth.

Rory McIlroy, the top-ranked player in the world and leader in the DP World Tour points race coming into the week, shot 4-under 68 on Friday and is T-11.

If Fitzpatrick—who came into the week third in the points race but now projects as the points leader—were to win, McIlroy would need to finish solo second or in a two-way tie for second to win the DP World Tour season-long championship.

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Jon Rahm unloads on ‘laughable’ Official World Golf Ranking, but it has nothing to do with LIV Golf

“I understand what they were trying to do when they changed some things, but I think like I said, they missed the mark.”

Jon Rahm’s press conference ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai started with the Spaniard receiving honorary life membership on the tour and ended with him unloading on the “laughable” Official World Golf Ranking.

The 28-year-old has become one of the best quotes in golf over the last few years and is known to speak his mind. Wednesday was no different.

“I’m going to be as blunt as I can. I think the OWGR right now is laughable. Laughable. Laughable,” said Rahm. “The fact that the (PGA Tour’s RSM Classic) doesn’t have any of the top 20 in the world has more points than this event where we have seven of the top 20 is laughable. The fact that Wentworth had less points than Napa, having players in the top 10 in the world is laughable.”

The OWGR website projects this week’s winner of the RSM Classic in Sea Island, Georgia, will receive 38.38 points. The DP World Tour Championship winner is projected to receive 21.82.

“I understand what they are trying to do with the depth of field but having the best players in the world automatically makes the tournament better. I don’t care what their system says,” he continued. “I think they have made a mistake. I think some aspects of it might be beneficial but I think they have devalued the value of the better players.

“Depth of field doesn’t mean better tournament. I could go on and on. I think they have missed the mark on that stance quite a bit.”

During his press conference on Tuesday, Rory McIlroy bluntly explained the points discrepancy between this week’s PGA and DP World tour events.

“Yeah, so when you look at two different fields, you’ve got a 50-man field (in Dubai) versus a 144-man field (in Georgia). So just in terms of how the strengths of field is calculated, they have 90 more players to contribute to their strength of field,” said McIlroy. “So the reason that this has got 21 points and the RSM has got 39 is the person that wins the RSM has to beat 139 other guys. You only have to beat 49 other guys here. It’s a much fairer system.”

McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammate begs to differ.

“But would you rather win a tournament when you have the No. 1 player in the world there or because you have the 30th or 6th there?” asked Rahm. “I think it’s more valuable if you’re beating the best players in the world. I think a lot of people would agree and I think it should reflect that.”

Rahm, who boasts seven wins on the PGA Tour and eight on the DP World Tour, freely admitted the math for point calculations is above his pay grade and he doesn’t know the precise way to fix the ranking.

“I understand what they were trying to do when they changed some things,” said Rahm, “but I think like I said, they missed the mark.”

Rahm is far from the first player to be critical of the OWGR this year, but the majority of the criticism has come from across the professional golf aisle. LIV Golf, the upstart series led by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has been fighting for points since its inception earlier this summer. None of LIV’s first eight events earned OWGR points after the circuit applied for accreditation in July. The circuit formed a strategic alliance with the developmental MENA Tour to try and force its way to receiving points, but was unsuccessful. LIV players like Patrick Reed, Graeme McDowell, and Bryson DeChambeau have all called out the ranking system.

“I think a lot of people are against (LIV) having world ranking points. I’m not necessarily against it but there should be adjustments,” Rahm explained. “If your requirement is to have world ranking points as 72 holes and a cut, maybe you don’t award them 100 percent of the points since they are not fulfilling all of the requirements.”

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Rory McIlroy: ‘Greg (Norman) needs to go’ and there will be no reconciliation between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf ‘unless there’s an adult in the room’

“No one’s going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences.”

After winning the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup in August for the third time in his career, Rory McIlroy is in Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship for a chance to sweep the season-long titles on both pro tours.

Despite being winless on the European circuit, McIlroy leads the DP World Tour Rankings thanks to three straight top fives after his win in Atlanta. Over 10 starts, McIlroy has seven top-five finishes with his worst performance coming in January at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (T-12).

Just a ridiculous year.

On top of his success on the course in 2022, McIlroy has been the loudest voice when it’s come to the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf battle. However, his tone has changed over the last few months as he’s waiting for the two leagues to sit down, settle the dispute and come to an arrangement for the betterment of the game.

On Tuesday, he laid out a plan for that to happen.

“Greg (Norman) needs to go. He needs to exit stage left,” McIlroy said. “He’s made his mark but I think now is the right time to say you’ve got this thing off the ground but no one’s going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences.”

On Nov. 10, The Telegraph reported LIV was looking to replace Norman with former TaylorMade CEO Mark King. LIV quickly denied the report.

Later in the interview, McIlroy disputed comments Norman made claiming Tiger Woods and PGA Tour players should be “thankful” for what LIV has done for the game.

“I’ve said this a million times: Tiger is the reason that we are playing for as much as we are playing for,” he said. “Tiger is the reason that the stature of our game is where it is. The generation of Tiger and the generation coming after Tiger have all benefited from him and his achievements and what he’s done for the game of golf.

“I don’t think Tiger should be thankful to anyone for anything. I think everyone else in the game should be thankful.”

After a hectic year for the game off the course, McIlroy is looking forward to turning the calendar next month.

“I think next year, if we can get the storylines to being about the golf and what’s happening on the course, that’s a good thing.”

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