Course record lifts McIlroy to second in Race to Dubai
Phil Mickelson poses with the trophy after his thrilling victory in the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai
Monday November 09 2009
Rory McIlroy boosted his hopes of capturing the inaugural Race to Dubai, but the race is over for Padraig Harrington following a dramatic finale to the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai yesterday.
McIlroy moved into second place on the money list behind leader Lee Westwood and ahead of German Martin Kaymer after producing the lowest final round of his short professional career, a Sheshan course-record equalling nine-under-par 63.
That left McIlroy, now ranked World No 15, in fourth place on 14 under par -- three strokes behind American Phil Mickelson, who carded a closing 69 to capture a second Champions title in three years.
In a year in which his wife and mother were diagnosed with breast cancer, the world number two followed up September's Tour Championship win with a one-stroke victory over South Africa's Ernie Els to claim a second WGC title of his career.
With a nervous wife Amy cleaning cupboards while watching at home in the States, Mickelson crucially birdied the penultimate hole of his battling three-under-par final round 69 after saving par with a testing breaking putt a hole earlier following a duffed attempted flop shot.
Els, playing two groups behind the overnight leader, had snatched the lead with back-to-back late birdies, but bogeyed the last hole of a course record-equalling nine-under 63 after hitting his approach into water to complete a decisive two-shot swing in the Americans' favour.
"It feels terrific because I had to fight so hard throughout the day," said Mickelson. "I didn't hit it great, the putts weren't falling, but I was able to hang in there.
"I am excited about 2010 because I am starting to play the best golf of my career. "Everything is starting to come together as far as my driving goes and my short game is as good as it's ever been."
quality
American Ryan Moore carded a 68 to secure third place on 15 under, with McIlroy a shot further back, two clear of Kaymer and Tiger Woods.
Woods left a record crowd gasping in disbelief after taking a double bogey at the fourth before shanking a bunker shot at the seventh and then putting his ball into the water at the last on is way to a 72.
McIlroy earned a €212,230 cheque for his 12th top 10 finish of the season -- the sixth in his past seven tournaments.
"That was probably one of the best last rounds of my pro career, given that it is a World Golf Championship and considering the quality of the players ahead of me at the start of the day," said McIlroy.
"I seemed to have got into a habit of shooting good last days to get myself up there, so it was nice to shoot a good low one.
"My game wasn't in tune early in the week but some hard work on the range paid off."
While McIlroy savoured another superb performance, Harrington admitted that his hopes of winning the Race to Dubai are over despite managing an eagle and three birdies in a closing-round 67, which left him on six under par tally.
"The Race to Dubai is gone -- such is life," he said. "But it was nice to finish with a sub-par round and I really should have started out like that.
"I needed a 67 on the first day. I just putted badly in that opening round but I got my attitude right today and was pleased with my score."
When quizzed if he was thinking of making a late entry into the Hong Kong Open, he remarked: "We've got a family holiday booked in Dubai and I am not changing my plans, although I would love to be playing in Hong Kong.
"I like the course and I've won there in the past but then you can't play in everything."
Shane Lowry will join McIlroy in Hong Kong after carding a closing-day 72 to claim a share of 28th spot on five under par.
- Bernie McGuire
Irish Independent
