Rory McIlroy told he’s the ‘only one’ who can break long-standing golf record
Rory McIlroy is currently the top contender to win his sixth Race to Dubai title, which would bring him within two victories of the record held by Colin Montgomerie. Montgomerie, who has long held the European Race to Dubai record, has expressed confidence that McIlroy is the only golfer capable of surpassing his achievement. At…
Rory McIlroy is currently the top contender to win his sixth Race to Dubai title, which would bring him within two victories of the record held by Colin Montgomerie. Montgomerie, who has long held the European Race to Dubai record, has expressed confidence that McIlroy is the only golfer capable of surpassing his achievement.
At 35 years old, McIlroy is a four-time major champion with five Race to Dubai titles under his belt. Securing a sixth title this year would place him just two wins shy of Montgomerie’s record of eight, which was set in 2005. Montgomerie’s record includes seven consecutive wins from 1993 to 1999, with his eighth coming after a six-year gap.
McIlroy has participated in eight Race to Dubai competitions, amassing 3,236.93 points and holding a substantial lead over his closest rival, Adam Scott. Reflecting on McIlroy’s potential, Montgomerie told the *Daily Mail*, “If Rory catches up in the Race to Dubai, I’ll hopefully be able to fly out there and congratulate him because I know how hard it is to achieve that.”
Montgomerie further remarked, “He’s the only one right now who has a real chance of challenging my record. There might be someone else in the future, but for now, he’s the only one who could possibly do it. Maybe not seven in a row, but eight or even nine titles overall. Let’s hope I’m fit enough to fly to Dubai and congratulate him when the time comes. I still remember him as a rookie on my Ryder Cup team in 2010, and there’s always a special bond there.”
McIlroy is currently competing in the BMW Championship, where he is seven strokes behind leader Keegan Bradley, who is set to captain Team USA in the 2025 Ryder Cup. Bradley is likely to be a key rival for McIlroy in the coming years.
However, McIlroy’s performance at the BMW Championship has been marked by frustration. After hitting a wayward tee shot on the 17th hole, McIlroy threw his driver into a nearby body of water in a moment of anger. He later retrieved the club and handed it to his caddie, creating an awkward scene.
McIlroy has faced a challenging end to the season, which began to unravel after a disappointing finish at the US Open earlier in the summer. Despite being in contention to win his first major in a decade, he faltered on the back nine, allowing Bryson DeChambeau to claim victory.
The BMW Championship and next week’s Tour Championship represent McIlroy’s final opportunities to finish the year on a positive note before entering a crucial off-season ahead of the 2025 campaign.
