RORY MCILROY

Rory McIlroy STAR STAR Seeking a Seeking a

RORY MCILROY IS SET TO CHASE A SECOND RORY MCILROY IS SET TO CHASE A SECOND BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN FIRST BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN FIRST WENTWORTH START SINCE 2019. WENTWORTH START SINCE 2019.

Rory McIlroy knows his place in golf’s global pecking order. He happily admitted as much at a recent players’ meeting headlined by Tiger Woods, a seminal moment for the game convened in the fight for the sport’s heritage.

“I think it’s pretty apparent that whenever we all get in the room there’s an alpha in there, and it’s not me,” the 33-year-old Northern Irishman said.

Barring a late and completely unexpected entry from Woods, McIlroy is assured of being the chief attraction on the West Course for this month’s BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club.

McIlroy is teeing it up in the DP World Tour’s flagship event for the first time since 2019 and enjoys an enviable record in the event, winning by a stroke from Shane Lowry in 2014 after finishing runner-up to Francesco Molinari by two shots in 2018. There was also a top-five back in 2009 when Paul Casey triumphed but McIlroy, rather curiously, has never won a Rolex Series gold star. He will be determined to right that wrong at Wentworth in what is the fourth of this year’s five elevated Rolex Series events. He’ll arrived buoyed by a third FedEx Cup title alongside runner-up and third place finishes at the Masters at Augusta National and 150th Open Championship at St Andrews. He’s also clearly motivated by a a slightly longer term ambition, the hope of being crowned DP World Tour champion for a fourth time at the conclusion of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates on November 20.

“I look forward to competing again at the BMW PGA Championship,” said McIlroy. “It’s an event I always love playing – the West Course has been good to me in the past, and the fans are incredibly supportive,” said McIlroy.

“I’ve had a consistent year so far and having a chance to win again at the iconic Wentworth would help my season long campaign.”

McIlroy, who counts two Dubai Desert Classic triumphs, a pair of DP World Tour Championship victories and four Major titles among his 14 wins on the DP World Tour, will be making his third appearance of the DP World Tour season (outside of the Majors).

Interestingly, his two previous starts came in the UAE and in Rolex Series events; McIlroy finished third at the Dubai Desert Classic after claiming a share of 12th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship earlier in January.

McIlroy finished three shots adrift of Scottie Scheffler at Augusta National in his now annual and microscopically analysed pursuit of golf’s career Grand Slam but it wasn’t half as frustrating as watching Cameron Smith putt the lights out to claim the Claret Jug.

He admits to needing “three or four days” to get over the Old Course anguish but knows his game is in good shape despite the near miss at St Andrews and the immediate hangover when he missed the cut in his next start, the FedEx St. Jude Championship last month.

“I shot 18 under par around St. Andrews for four days, and it wasn’t quite good enough to get the job done. If I keep playing the way I’ve been playing in the bigger tournaments, the law of averages would suggest that I’m going to get myself a trophy at some point.”

Don’t be surprised if that “point” arrives at Wentworth with McIIroy’s name inscribed on the BMW PGA Championship trophy – one of golf’s most sought after prizes - once more. Even golf’s alpha male, Woods, would surely applaud that. ■