World No 1 Rory McIlroy is favourite to win the Charles Schwab Challenge despite it being his first visit to the tournament. AFP
World No 1 Rory McIlroy is favourite to win the Charles Schwab Challenge despite it being his first visit to the tournament. AFP
World No 1 Rory McIlroy is favourite to win the Charles Schwab Challenge despite it being his first visit to the tournament. AFP
World No 1 Rory McIlroy is favourite to win the Charles Schwab Challenge despite it being his first visit to the tournament. AFP

Rory McIlroy's 'best shot of the year' lights up DP World Tour Championship


John McAuley
  • English
  • Arabic

Leaderboard

63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)

64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)

66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)

67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)

68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)

69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)

Rory McIlroy’s approach to 18 on Day 1 of the DP World Tour Championship was so good that he couldn’t wait to watch it back on replay.

“I’m looking forward to seeing it on TV later, to be fair,” quipped the world No 2, not long after rolling in a closing eagle to post his lowest opening round around the Earth course. An opening 64 on Thursday left him on 80-under, one stroke off leader Mike Lorenzo-Vera.

“Honestly, it’s possibly the best shot I’ve hit all year,” McIlroy said, later adding that it could have been one of the finest of his four-major career. “It’s up there.”

Given his CV, and his 2019 alone, that’s some statement. It simply underlined just how good the strike was.

Armed with a 3-wood and with 291 yards to the pin and water lurking, McIlroy stripped his second on the par-5 18th to about six foot. It took two bounces, creeping just beyond the flag. He duly sank the putt to round off a superb opening day’s work.

To be fair, it's merely a continuation of McIlroy's season. The Northern Irishman may have come into the European Tour’s season finale out of contention for the Race to Dubai, but he won last time out, three weeks’ ago at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

It lifted McIlroy to four victories this year, a campaign in which he played more consistently than at any other time as a professional. He is the FedEx Cup champion, and the recently anointed PGA Tour player of the year.

More pertinently this week, McIlroy is a two-time winner of the DPWTC. So, all in all, the other 49 players should be pretty wary.

“It is, yeah,” McIlroy replied when asked if he's as comfortable on the course as at any time throughout his career. “I’m hitting the ball where I’m looking. It’s as good as I ever swung it, I feel. And then factor in the greens and the short game and everything, the whole package is working pretty well.”

To continue the theme, McIlroy ranks his golf since the hugely disappointing missed cut at the Open, which took place in July close to where he was born, as “some of the best I’ve ever played”.

Between then and now, he has triumphed at the Tour Championship en route to topping the PGA Tour standings, and in Shanghai. As such, he's now the only European to capture three World Golf Championships titles.

“Sometimes these experiences can be a really good thing for you and a catalyst to being a bit more motivated, or learning,” said McIlroy, casting his mind back to Royal Portrush. “I’ve tried to learn from every setback I’ve had and feel I’ve done a good job, not just this year, but all the way through my career.”

On Thursday, the only setbacks encountered, really, were the three lip-outs for birdies on the front nine, and a bogey on 12. Other than that, McIlroy raced out in 5-under through seven holes, before finishing with three fours to vault to within one of Lorenzo-Vera.

The Frenchman posted a 63 – the lowest opening round in tournament history – early in the day and, by the end, only McIlroy had gotten close. Former champion Jon Rahm was next best, at 6-under, with Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Lewis one further back.

However, considering his rank, reputation and event record, McIlroy remains undeniably the favourite. That trophy cabinet, a present from wife Erica that surprised him upon his return to his new house a few weeks' back, might need an extension already.

“Got back from China, walked into our sort of game room and up on the wall were all the trophies and stuff,” McIlroy said. “Obviously on a high from the win, so was cool. But it's a nice reminder sometimes.

“All that stuff had been in storage for a year and a half, so was the first time I’d seen the Claret Jug and US Open trophy and all that. It's cool, but it's also a great motivator to think, you know, I'm still pretty early in my career and I've done quite a lot, but I still want to do so much more.”

'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

The biog:

Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian 

Favourite food: Pizza 

Best food on the road: rice

Favourite colour: silver 

Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda

Favourite biking destination: Canada 

Bio

Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind. 
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.

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Leaderboard

63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)

64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)

66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)

67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)

68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)

69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)