Rory McIlroy takes stranglehold on Race to Dubai

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy’s classy victory in the 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club saw him take control of the Race to Dubai (R2D) in assured fashion.

The 2012 R2D and DP World Tour Championship winner was already guaranteed a spot in this year’s season-ending finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Thursday, November 20th to Sunday, November 23rd following his BMW PGA Championship success back in May.

But, he put himself in with a great chance of becoming the first repeat R2D victor since the new format began in 2009 with his two-stroke triumph over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler at Hoylake, which takes his total prize money for this calendar year alone to €2,634,933. Dane Thomas Bjorn is more than €1m further back in second place on €1,621, 367.

“It feels incredible,” said McIlroy after snaring his third major title on Sunday. “To win three legs of the Grand Slam at 25 is a pretty big achievement.

“I’ve really found my passion for golf again. It’s what I think about when I get up in the morning; it’s what I think about when I go to bed.

“I just want to be the best golfer I can be and I know, if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability.”

McIlroy then broke new ground in his illustrious career by becoming only the third golfer in the modern era to have claimed three majors by the age of 26 — the two others being Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.