Clank off flagstick turns the tide for Rory McIlroy, who closes Dubai in 74
Rory McIlroy’s precision helped keep him from winning his third career DP World Tour Championship.
Leading by one at the par-4 15th, and following 335-yard drive, McIlroy’s 36-yard approach shot clanked off the flatstick and into a greenside bunker.
He failed to get up and down from there, while playing competitor Collin Morikawa made birdie on the same hole. The two-shot swing gave Morikawa an advantage he’d never relinquish.
McIlroy fell two strokes back after three-putting for bogey at the 16th hole.
Morikawa, meanwhile, birdied Nos. 17 and 18 – part of a back-nine 31 – to clinch a three-stroke victory in the tournament and become the first American to win the European Tour’s season-long, Race to Dubai title.
McIlroy began the year by holding the 54-hole lead in Abu Dhabi, only to shoot even-par 72 in the final round and finish five back of winner Tyrrell Hatton. He completed his year by holding a one-shot lead in Dubai, only to shoot 2-over 74 and finish five back of Morikawa.
McIlroy closed his tournament with a bogey – finding the water on his second after hooking his tee shot – for an inward 38, seven shots worse than his playing competitor.
Between those two defeats, however, McIlroy won twice on the PGA Tour, including last month at the CJ Cup in Las Vegas. He won the DP World Championship in both 2012 and ’15.