Rory McIlroy qualifies for DP World Tour C’ship golf

Rory McIlroy poses with the trophy after winning the PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey, England on Sunday. — AFP

Rory McIlroy ended a tough week on a high by winning The European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, moving to second in The Race to Dubai and therefore qualifying for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in the process.

McIlroy’s last European Tour win was in 2012 at the DP World Tour Championship when he won both the tournament and The Race to Dubai. His last international tournament win was in December 2013, at the Emirates Australian Open.

The week began with the news that the Northern Irishman had called off his wedding to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki and the two-time Major champion had admitted that playing at Wentworth would be “very difficult”.

But he put his troubles behind him with a spectacular display, closing with a swashbuckling 66, coming home in just 32 blows on the back nine, for a 14-under-par winning total of 274, one stroke clear of Ireland’s Shane Lowry.

“I feel relieved,” said McIlroy. “It’s been 18 months since I won on The European Tour and to win the Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth — I couldn’t ask for any more. I knew coming in here that I was playing well. I struggled a little on Friday but played great over the weekend and in the final round I was helped by a couple of mistakes from the guys in front of me.”

The DP World Tour Championship, taking place at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from November 20-23 will feature the top 60 players in The Race to Dubai and, historically, a prize-money total of €500,000 has been enough to book a spot in The European Tour’s grand final.

McIlroy’s Wentworth winner’s cheque of €791,660 takes his season’s earnings to €1,295,825 and moves him to second in The Race to Dubai meaning he’s secured a place in the DP World Tour Championship field.

Lowry, who started the week 165th in The Race to Dubai after a difficult start to the season, turned in an excellent display, firing a blistering opening round of 8-under 64 and signing off the final round.