McIlroy can scale heights in Alps
Rory McIlroy has set his sights on a double top in the Alps this week.
The Ulster hotshot can head the Race to Dubai and the European Ryder Cup Points list by picking up the €333,330 top prize in the Omega European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre.
The Swiss event signals the start of the race to make Colin Montgomerie's 2010 Ryder Cup side.
But McIlroy can steal a march on his absentee Race to Dubai rivals and make up for last season's agonising play-off loss by grabbing his second tour win in Switzerland.
Third in the Race to Dubai money list behind the injured Martin Kaymer and Paul Casey, Rory said: “I absolutely love Crans and it’s one of my favourite venues of the year – I’m really looking forward to it and if I can play the way I did last year then I’ll be in with a great chance.”
Trying to become the third-youngest winner in European Tour history last term, McIlroy missed a five footer for par at the 18th that would have given him the title.
But worse was to follow in sudden death when he missed again from only 18 inches at the second play-off hole to hand the title to Jean-François Lucquin.
McIlroy reacted with great maturity, racking up six top-10s in his next nine starts to finish the year ranked 39th in the world.
His 2009 season has brought him a win in the Dubai Desert Classic, a quarter-final appearance in the WGC-Accenture Match Play and four top performances in the majors, culminating with a career-best share of third in the US PGA last month.
He’s now the favourite to win the inaugural Race to Dubai with money leader Kaymer crocked for five weeks following a karting accident and Casey still struggling with a rib injury,
His biggest rival is fourth ranked Lee Westwood but as he trails Kaymer by just €303,828, McIlroy knows that if he wins the title he will jump to the top of the pile.
The Holywood ace has spent the past two week’s chilling out with his friends and buying furniture for his new €2m pad at Moneyreagh near Belfast.
With his batteries recharged, he looked ahead to Crans and insisted: “I feel that I’m a better player than I was last year and I’ve gained a lot of experience so I’d like to think I’d go very close.”
Ireland will have eight players in the field with Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell, Dubliner Paul McGinley, Irish Open champion Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, Michael Hoey, Gareth Maybin and Gary Murphy also in the field.
All bar Murphy are certain to keep their cards for 2010 but the Kilkenny can save his card with a top five finish.
Ranked 150th in the money list following his 16th place in Gleneagles on Sunday, he is just €63,000 outside the top 115 who keep their cards for 2010.