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  Rory Mcllroy primed to strike at ‘Asia’s Major’

Rory Mcllroy primed to strike at ‘Asia’s Major’

AFP
Published : Oct 27, 2016, 6:43 am IST
Updated : Oct 27, 2016, 6:43 am IST

A resurgent Rory McIlroy is looking to end 2016 in style, starting by winning the prestigious World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai this week.

A resurgent Rory McIlroy is looking to end 2016 in style, starting by winning the prestigious World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai this week.

But the PGA Tour’s newly-crowned FedEx Cup champion will have to overcome all four of 2016’s first-time major winners and 40 of the world’s top 50 players in a star-studded field if he is to lift the title for the first time.

The list of champions of the tournament dubbed “Asia’s Major” reads like a who’s who of golf.

But the Northern Irishman’s illustrious name is missing from a WGC-HSBC Champions roll of honour featuring Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson, something McIlroy would love to put right.

“Here, yes, I’d love to tick that one off,” McIlroy said.

His mojo returned on the greens during the FedEx Cup series last month as he stormed to two wins in four events — the Deutsche Bank Championship and the season-ending Tour Championship — and a $10 million bonus.

Masters champion Danny Willett leads the Race to Dubai standings.

British Open champion and Olympic silver medallist Henrik Stenson lies second in the European Tour standings and will be looking to close the gap with McIlroy lurking in third.

US Open Champion Dustin Johnson took his first big tournament win at the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2013 while US PGA Champion Jimmy Walker completes the full house of 2016 major winners in China this week.

Justin Thomas, who retained his PGA Tour CIMB Classic title in Kuala Lumpur last week, plus US Ryder Cup talismen Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler and defending champion Russell Knox are also in the hunt for a share of the $9.5 million prize fund — the richest in world golf outside America and the majors.

Location: China, Shanghai