The 441-point cushion over England’s Marco Penge, who recently claimed the Spanish Open, looks comfortable on paper, but the final fortnight in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will decide everything. With the playoff points increased for the last two events, nothing is nailed down yet. A player who wins both could collect around 3,500 points, enough to turn the standings on its head. McIlroy knows that as well as anyone. A couple of quiet weeks and someone could close the gap, but one good finish, maybe even just one more win, and he keeps his grip on the title.
Seve Ballesteros and Colin Montgomerie are the only players who’ve shown that kind of staying power across so many years, and McIlroy now finds himself right alongside them. For Irish golf, that level of dominance is a source of huge pride, and it may yet get even better. As McIlroy chases number seven, his great friend and Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry will be out to spoil the party.
A Test of Staying Power
First awarded in 1937 and named after Jersey legend Harry Vardon, the trophy has evolved alongside European golf itself, from its early days as an “Order of Merit” based on stroke averages to the lucrative Race to Dubai era. Vardon’s own precision and consistency set the tone, qualities McIlroy has embodied across his six triumphs since 2012.
As the Race to Dubai reaches its close, one thing feels certain: McIlroy remains the man to beat on the DP World Tour. His ability to rally at the right moments, to keep finding motivation in a career that has already delivered almost everything, explains why the Harry Vardon Trophy so often ends up back in his hands.
