A Truly Special Season - Rory McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy has described being crowned as European Tour No 1 for a second time as "truly special" as he reflected on a memorable 2014 campaign.

The world No 1 was confirmed as the winner of the Race to Dubai following Brook's Koepka's victory at the Turkish Airlines Open, the penultimate tournament of the European Tour's Final Series.

Closest rival Henrik Stenson closed with a 64 to claim outright third place in Antalya, finishing three shots adrift of Koepka, but the Swede is a distant 2,726,514 points behind McIlroy with only 1,666,600 on offer to the winner of next week's season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

McIlroy, 25, also added another record to his collection as he became the youngest player in history to capture the Harry Vardon Trophy twice having claimed his first in 2012.

The Northern Irishman ended an 18-month title drought with his victory at the BMW PGA Championship in May, and he returned to the top of the world rankings with a stunning run of form in July and August.

He captured his first Open Championship crown at Royal Liverpool before winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship, his fourth major victory.

"This has obviously been the best season of my career by a long way, and to win The Race to Dubai for the second time really is something truly special"

“This has obviously been the best season of my career by a long way, and to win The Race to Dubai for the second time really is something truly special," said McIlroy, who will return to action in Dubai next week after taking time off to prepare for a court case involving his former management company.

"That four-week spell over the summer, from The Open to the US PGA Championship, would have to be the best golf of my life, so I feel like I’ve really earned The Race to Dubai.

“Winning it for the first time two years ago was a fantastic feeling, but I feel like I’m now a more complete player and my all-round game has moved to another level. I’ve put in a lot of hard work this season, with my game and my fitness, so it’s nice to get the rewards at the end of it.

“In some ways the pressure is off next week, but I’ll fight very hard to end the year on a high with another victory. I’ve a great record in this tournament, and in Dubai generally, having secured my first European Tour win there in 2009.

“Finishing with five birdies to win the DP World Tour Championship in 2012 is right up there with my best performances on The European Tour, so every time I go back to Jumeirah Golf Estates, it always brings back some happy memories.

“It’s a great tournament to finish the season with, and if I can notch up another win it really will complete an amazing year. I’m looking forward to getting out on the golf course and feeling that competitive edge again.”

European Tour chief executive George O'Grady added: “During another season of incredible success for the European Tour, with our members winning three of the four major championships, it says something about his outstanding form that Rory ends the year as the dominant player not only on our Tour, but on the world stage.

“Given the extraordinary success he has achieved, it is only right that the season should culminate in Rory winning the Harry Vardon Trophy for the second time, and it would be no surprise to anyone if he were to end his campaign with another win in Dubai next week.

"He is a credit both to himself and the European Tour, and a most deserving winner of The Race to Dubai.”

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Lawrie and Thornton Move Up

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Simon Thornton moved into a share of tenth place at The European Tour Final Qualifying on Sunday, after a second round 69 shot him twenty three places up the leader board for -5 overall.

A flurry of early birdies without loss saw the former Royal County Down assistant Pro reach the turn in 33 strokes and for a time, with a grasp of fifth spot. Then a level par back nine – which included a birdie and bogey – left Thornton unable to capitalise further on the solid start to remain with the top ten.

Peter Lawrie carded two strokes better on the Tour Course with birdies on 3, 7, 13 and 14. The good progress then halted by a double bogey 6 on the fifteenth.

However two consecutive birdies on the final two holes saw the Dubliner end day two on three under par and with a share of 17th overnight.

Kevin Phelan slipped thirty spots after a two over par 72 on the same course with only one birdie on his card to offset three dropped shots on Sunday The Deiseman ending his second day T47.

Gareth Maybin signed for two double bogeys and remains in 102nd place on +3 overall. A double bogey six on the par 4 fourth and a similar score on the thirteenth the main damage on day two. With only two birdies to offset the added loss of five strokes on the card the Ballyclare man unable to find a rich vein of form so far.

Michael McGeady also slipped down the leader board on Sunday with a round of 75, dropping the Derryman thirty eight places on +4 overall now facing an eight shot swing with the leading players.

The runner up at the 2014 Irish PGA Championship signed for five bogeys with just two birdies in reply on the Stadium Course and needing to redeem some strokes on the Tour course on Monday.

Airban Lahiri moved two shots clear of the field after the World Number 74 carded a four under par 68 on the testing Stadium Course to move to nine under par after day two of the six-round marathon.

The 27 year old, whose nickname ‘Baan’ is written on the back of his cap, is the highest-ranked player in the field at PGA Catalunya Resort, having won twice on the Asian Tour and recorded two top ten finishes on The European Tour this year.

The Bangalore player put serious weight behind that statistic as he recorded just a single bogey in his opening 36 holes at the stunning European Tour Destination near Girona, a five at the par four 17th in round two which was preceded by a superb eagle at the par five 15th, where a beastly drive left him with an eight iron approach.

Lahiri duly knocked that to ten feet, before holing what was one of his longest putts of an impressive ball-striking day to move to the summit and edge closer to European Tour Membership for the first time in his career.

“I played really well today,” said the five-time Asian Tour winner. “I really enjoy playing tracks like the Stadium Course here, it demands a lot of shots from you and I really enjoy that challenge.

“It’s not easy. You’ve got to really hit a lot of good shots so I’m really happy with the way I played today. There were a couple of loose holes at the end there but I’m really happy with the way I’m hitting the ball.

“I could have putted a lot better today so hopefully that gets better throughout the week. I’ve played a lot in Europe, some tournaments in America, some in Japan and around Europe too so these are not alien conditions to me anymore.

“They were when I played here three years ago. It’s ten degrees warmer now than the last time I played in December so that helps! I’m quite comfortable now.

“I’ve just been playing well. This whole year has been solid and I’m just trying to do the same things I’ve been doing and keep that form going. The rest of it should take care of itself.

“Even on the 12th I hit it to around five feet for eagle and it didn’t even touch the hole with my putt, so I’ve been hitting it really solid and hopefully I can keep that going.”

Pelle Edberg, meanwhile, carded the round of the week thus far as the experienced Swede fired a spectacular eight under par 62 on the Tour Course to climb 75 places into a share of second.

The 35 year old, on his eighth visit to Final Stage, teed off on the tenth hole before a superlative six under front nine helped move him to seven under par alongside compatriot Rikard Karlberg.

Edberg was delighted with his round and, while he did admit he felt the pressure coming into this week – having missed out on Challenge Tour graduation last week, finishing 44th in the Rankings – he feels he has played his cards right so far in Girona.

“Seven under through two rounds is pretty good,” he said. “There are four rounds still to go, but obviously that is a good start. I played pretty solid and holed a few putts, so it was good.

“You know you have two rounds on the Tour Course before the cut, and you really need to be a few under over this one, and then level on the Stadium over four rounds. Then, you should stand a pretty good chance.

“I will hit a few balls on the range this evening, but will also spend a few hours on the paddle courts. It is a long week and you can’t change too much in your swing, so I just feel like I need to be rested and be 100 per cent focused out on the course.

“If I said I didn’t feel any pressure coming in this week then I’d be lying. I finished top 45 on the Challenge Tour so I might get a few events (on The European Tour) next year, but a top 25 here would of course help that.

“I just need to forget today and head out on the other course tomorrow, make as many pars as possible, and maybe hole one or two birdie putts.”

Four time European Tour winner Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina, young English prospect Matthew Fitzpatrick and former Challenge Tour Number One Andrea Pavan of Italy were among the six players tied for fourth place on six under par.

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