Rory Seeks Heaven on Dubai Earth

It’s all to play for at the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World although Rory McIlroy admits it’s a tough ask to pip Luke Donald to the Race to Dubai title.

Mclroy’s impressive victory in the UBS Hong Kong Open last weekend kept the Race alive and he has to win again on Sunday if he is to have any chance of catching the World Number One, and even then Donald will still achieve the historic double of winning the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic with a top nine finish.

But while the odds are stacked against him, McIlroy is determined to give it his best shot over the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

“I’m excited,” said the World Number Two. “There's a lot to play for. I’ve still got a slim chance of trying to win The Race to Dubai, and so it's nice to just have that coming to the quick.

“I've got to win and Luke has to finish outside the top nine or ten, whatever it is. I'm really not counting on him to do that because he's only finished outside the top ten about twice this year. So it's going to be a tough ask but I'll give my best and it would be great to finish the year on a high.

“It's a golf course that I've had some success on the last couple of years with a third place and a fifth place. I just went out there this morning and the golf course looks fantastic. They have overseeded and it looks in the best shape ever.”

McIlroy’s bid may, however, be hampered by a virus he picked up recently and he went to see a doctor on arrival in the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai World Championship.

"I won't get the results back until later on this week," said the Northern Irishman. "I picked up a virus and my white blood cell count was very low, so the tests were to see if it's back up again."

It is hardly surprising. McIlroy has been virtually non-stop since late September and that has included three trips to the Far East and one to Bermuda.

"I'm not energy-wise where I want to be, but I took a day off yesterday and took it easy," he added.

"I'm going to play the pro-am today and practise and I'll probably take another day off tomorrow - maybe hit a few balls.

"I'll really try and conserve my energy and focus it all into the four tournament days.

"I'm not 100%, but I'm still able to go out and play 18 holes and try and give it my all.”

Higgins Makes it to Catalunya

David Higgins of Waterville and Limerick’s Cian McNamara produced sub-par last rounds in Spain on Monday to take a closer step to securing their European Tour cards for next year, with both playing at the Las Colinas course. 

Higgins fired a 68 and McNamara a 69 for total scores of 280 – four under par – and they finished in joint 16th spot to make it through to the final stage starting on Saturday.

However at the same course Royal Dublin’s former amateur international Niall Kearney, Aaron O’Callaghan and Brendan McCarroll all failed to make progress.

Northern Ireland’s US based Chris Devlin pulled was at El Valle and carded a four-under par 67 for a 281 aggregate for a share of 14th place, after a third-round 75 looked like it might cost him. In the end he took one of the 20 places on offer from that venue.

Mark Staunton of Castleknock missed out after a disappointing closing 73 but he may make the final if there are withdrawals. 

Former Shamrock Rovers Stephen Grant failed to build on some good work this week and joined the Asian Tour based Niall Turner on the wrong side of the cut. 

Colm Moriarty’s failure at La Manga was another disappointment for a player that has enjoyed moments of genius in recent years. But he could do no better than 290 and joint 38th place.

Neil O’Briain also lost out with a final round 76. 

Michael McGeady also missed out for another year.

The final stage starts on Saturday at PGA Catalunya in Girona with six rounds offering up only 30 European Tour cards.

But somewhere near Newcastle, in County Down, 2009 Q School qualifier Simon Thornton is no doubt enjoying some babysitting, thanking his lucky stars that his final tournament finish on the Challenge Tour last month spared him a dreaded return to Catalunya this December. A venue he has been for the past two years battling for his playing rights, with last year proving fruitless.

Indeed, on the European Tour both Damien McGrane and Gareth Maybin will no doubt be feeling the same relief.