Rory McIlroy Double Winner

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Rory McIlroy has been chosen as Golfer of the Year and Players' Player of the Year at the European Tour Awards.

The world number one secured the double after a year in which he won the Open and the US PGA Championship as well as playing in Europe's Ryder Cup triumph.

The 26-year-old's last 10 European Tour finishes have seen him claim five victories and three runners-ups places.

"I am just trying to keep going and increase that tally," said McIlroy.

"There is a lot to play for this year. I have got off to a great start and I just need to continue that."

Brooks Koepka, from the United States, was another double winner as he received the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award and the Challenge Tour Graduate of the Year Award, after winning November's Turkish Airlines Open to go with four other top-10 finishes.

There were also celebrations for the full Ryder Cup team, while Welshman Jamie Donaldson won the Shot of the Year award for the approach which sealed the winning point at Gleneagles.

The European players were joined on stage by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson who was invited by captain Paul McGinley to address the team before the start of the September 2014 contest.

McIlroy noted: "Even with all the personal success I have had over the past year, the Ryder Cup was the most enjoyable week."

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Harrington Withdraws from Wentworth

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Padraig Harrington has pulled out of this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth because of a shoulder injury.

Three-time major winner Harrington withdrew from the European Tour's flagship tournament after playing just two holes of his first round. The Dubliner also withdrew from Wednesday's pro-am competition.

The 43-year-old, who has returned to the top 100 in the world rankings this year, could now be doubtful for next week's Irish Open at Royal County Down.

The world number 83 had indicated before his round on Thursday that his withdrawal was "definitely a possibility", despite receiving physiotherapy treatment.

"It is like frozen shoulder. I am struggling to lift my arm," explained the Irishman, who won the PGA Tour's Honda Classic in early March

The Florida triumph was his first win on either the PGA Tour or European Tour since his 2008 USPGA victory at Oakland Hill.

His withdrawal from the Wentworth event marks the first time he has pulled out of a tournament because of injury in his 20-year career.

The Irishman said that he felt the problem while in the gym in Tuesday but had opted to continue his fitness session.

"I probably should have stopped doing the exercises," he added.

"I didn't feel so bad and I hit shots afterwards but it has really stiffened up overnight."

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This is My Time - Rory McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy is targetting his best-ever year after claiming his third title of the season at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina on Sunday.

The four-time major champion, who completed a record-breaking seven-shot victory in Charlotte. defends his PGA Championship title at Wentworth this week and says his next target is to overtake Sir Nick Faldo's record of six major titles to become the most successful European golfer ever.

He told Sky Sports News HQ: "This year can be even bigger than last year. As you say, I have already got three wins and it is only the middle of May. There is still a lot of golf to play. I feel like my game is in real good shape,

"There is a WGC title already in there and there are three more majors to play. What I would love to do is beat my record of five wins in a year and I have got off to a great start in that regard.

"Ive played well before at Whistling Straits (US Open venue) and St Andrews (Open venue) and I think they represent great opportunities for me to do well again." 

McIlroy's win at Wentworth last year triggered an excellent run of form which has seen him win seven of the 23 events he has played in the last 12 months. The four-time major champion has finished second in four other events - meaning he has either won or been runner-up in 11 of the 23 tournaments he's played in the last year.

He said: "I definitely feel that it is my time. It is a great opportunity to win tournaments and try and get my major tally up there. It's not just about me, golf is not just about one person. The next realistic goal would be to try and beat Faldo's record as the best European ever.

"I've still got a few to get there. If I can achieve that, it would be huge - but 18 (majors) is a long way off. The competition from the other guys on the Tour just forces me to keep getting better but I will just continue to take it step by step. "

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McIlroy Roars to Fargo Victory

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Rory McIlroy overcame a nervy start to complete a record-breaking seven-shot victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.

McIlroy's overnight four-stroke lead was barely threatened throughout the final day at Quail Hollow as he fired a solid final-round 69 to become the first two-time winner of the event, and he also smashed Anthony Kim's previous tournament scoring record by five shots.

The world No 1 was the overwhelming favourite to emulate his breakthrough win in 2010 after his scintillating third-round 61 had given him a commanding lead, which was extended to five shots when playing-partner and nearest challenger Webb Simpson bogeyed the opening hole.

There was a glimmer of hope for Simpson and the field when McIlroy three-putted the second green, and Simpson rolled in a good putt for a birdie to shave the deficit to three.

But Simpson dropped another shot at the next and, after matching McIlroy's cast-iron birdie at the long fifth, the American three-putted from inside six feet at the sixth for a double-bogey.

Both birdied the seventh, and Patrick Rodgers then emerged as McIlroy's biggest threat when he made three birdies in five holes to cap an outward 34, and he then followed with an eagle at 10 and another birdie at the 11th.

Rodgers then reached 17 under with further birdies at 14 and 15 that hauled him within three of the leader, but his hopes of pulling off a huge upset vanished when he found water off the tee at the treacherous 17th.

McIlroy faltered on the greens for the first time in the week, but he still managed to pick up shots at the 12th and 14th before turning on the style at the 508-yard 16th, where he smashed a 364-yard yard drive over the corner of the dogleg and clipped a gap wedge to 18 inches for a tap-in three.

The 26-year-old dropped a shot at 17 after a poor pitch from right of the green, but it scarcely mattered as he walked to the final tee armed with a seven-shot lead when Rodgers bogeyed the last to finish on 14 under.

Simpson managed to salvage a 72 as he played the fearsome Green Mile in three pars to earn a share of second with Rodgers, leaving the stage clear for McIlroy to roll in a confident putt for par to finish on a remarkable 21 under par and claim the 11th PGA Tour title of his career.

Phil Mickelson briefly got into the mix as he made three straight birdies on the front nine and added another at the 10th to claim a share of second on 12 under, but he then bogeyed the next two holes.

The left-hander rallied with birdies at 13 and 15 as he returned a 68 to finish in a tie for fourth alongside Gary Woodland (67) and Robert Streb (71).

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McIlroy Sets New Record

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Rory McIlroy further underlined his status as the best player in the world after taking control of the Wells Fargo Championship with a stunning 11-under 61 in the third round.

McIlroy broke his own course record at Quail Hollow after a sensational display of shot-making backed up by another solid performance on the greens as he stormed to 18 under par, four clear of joint-overnight leader Webb Simpson.

The world No 1, who fired a closing 62 to claim his maiden PGA Tour title in this event in 2010, began with a pair of pars before igniting his challenge with birdies at the third and fifth holes.

But after a par at the sixth, he then put together a remarkable run of nine birdies in 10 holes to pull five clear of the field, and thoughts turned to the possibility of a magical 59 when he holed his 11th birdie putt of the day at 16.

However, the prospect of making three birdies over the Green Mile proved beyond him as his tee shot to the 180-yard 17th ignored instructions to draw in the air and settled 40 feet right of the target.

McIlroy safely two-putted for par, and he did well to scramble a par-four at the last after his drive finished barely a yard from the creek on the left of the fairway before his approach bounded past the pin and found the rear fringe.

However, his second consecutive bogey-free round was enough to earn McIlroy a commanding four-stroke advantage over Simpson, who stayed in touch with the runaway leader with birdies at five, seven and 13 before he drained a 20-foot putt for eagle at the 15th.

But Simpson's drive at the last found the creek on the left, although he limited the damage to a bogey-five with an excellent up-and-down from 60 feet as he signed for a 68.

Robert Streb, who shared the halfway lead with Simpson, endured an erratic day as five birdies and four bogeys added up to a 71 which left him seven behind McIlroy, while Brendan Steele (68) and Patrick Rodgers (70) are a further stroke adrift.

Justin Thomas had set the early clubhouse target at nine under after an entertaining 65 which included two eagles in three holes on the front nine, but Phil Mickelson failed to build on a bright start which raised the prospect of a final-day showdown with McIlroy.

The left-hander cruised to the turn in 32 and atoned for a bogey at 12 with a birdie at the 14th, but he carved his final drive into water and went on to run up an ugly triple-bogey seven which saw him plummet to eight under and out of the running.

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