DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The 2025 goals are piling up for Rory McIlroy.
Ending his drought in the majors dating back to 2014 is at the forefront of his mind. There’s also the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, where McIlroy will be the heartbeat of the European team looking for a rare away win in one of the biggest sporting events.
Now add to that his quest to reach the level set by today’s two best golfers: Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
“They’ve definitely separated themselves from the rest this year,” the No. 3-ranked McIlroy said in Dubai on Wednesday. “I’m obviously very aware of that, and it just makes me more motivated to try to emulate what they did this year.”
Scheffler won the Masters, and much more. Schauffele won the PGA Championship and the British Open. McIlroy could – perhaps should – have won the year’s other major, the US Open, but lost two of the last three holes by three putts and lost by one stroke to Bryson DeChambeau.
So McIlroy remains on four major titles – he has been on that number for ten years – and that is painful for him, even if he is proud of his performances over the rest of a season that could come at the World Tour Championship on Sunday end with a win. the Race to Dubai title of the European tour.
“Unbelievably consistent again,” he said of his 2024. “I think I’ve been very proud of that over the last few years. But at the same time you think about those who escaped. I could be sitting here with a fifth major title, but that’s not the case.
“So that stings and that’s something I have to come to terms with, but at the same time I have a lot more opportunities in the future.”
McIlroy goes into the season-ending event on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates with a huge lead in the Race to Dubai standings over second-place Thriston Lawrence, the only other player in contention for the title.
A top 10 finish in the 50-man field guarantees McIlroy is the best player in European golf for the sixth time, drawing him level with the late Seve Ballesteros and putting him two behind Colin Montgomerie’s record. Lawrence needs to win and needs McIlroy to finish in a tie for 11th or lower.
The older McIlroy gets – he is now 35 – the more he appreciates being considered a standard-bearer on the European tour.
“I probably didn’t prioritize it for a few years, and I think I’m maybe a little bit closer to Monty than I am now, but it’s something that I really wanted,” he said. “It’s a huge honor… every time I come back and play on this tour, I’m proud to be a member, and I’m proud to support as many as I can.”
For that reason, McIlroy is planning a similar schedule for European tour events in 2025 as this year: starting in Dubai, playing the Scottish Open, Irish Open, the PGA Championship and the Dunhill Links Championship, and then the season-ending tournaments. in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
That means events in the United States will take a hit as McIlroy looks to cut his schedule from 27 to 22 or 23.
“I’m knocking a bit – I’ve got the gray hair to prove it,” he said. “I’m not slowing down at all, but I just have to take care of myself and take care of my body a little bit more.”
—The Associated Press
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Xavier Bighaus of Christian from Colorado wins
Southwest Airlines Showcase
All Colorado Christian does is win.
The Cougars’ Xavier Bighaus fired a final-round 63 to win the Southwest Airlines Showcase at Cedar Crest Golf Course in Dallas. The tournament is an All-Star invitational that celebrates the talents of top college-age golfers who are leading the way in further diversifying the game.
Bighaus was part of a Cougars team that went undefeated through the fall season after winning the state championship in 2023. After starting the tournament with a 2-over par round, Bighaus went 13 under the next two days.
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Davis Bryant continues the quest for the DP World card
Colorado’s Davis Bryant will have to wait another day to get his DP World Tour card.
The former Colorado State golfer is ranked in the top 10 of the DP World Tour Q school and is in good shape to earn his exempt status on the tour. But the weather had other ideas.
Lightning strike in Spain stopped the fifth stage and Bryant had two holes to go. It was announced that the remainder of the final stage will be played on Thursday. The top 20, plus ties, will receive a DP World Tour card.
Bryant is also still in the field at PGA Tour Q school and will play in the second state on December 3-6 Valencia, California.
CU women’s golf adds three to its 2025 roster
University of Colorado women’s golf went local and global, adding three to the 2025-2026 roster.
Brenna Higgins, Teemapat Pateetin and Ananthi Vivek will join the Buffaloes women’s golf team for the 2025-2026 season.
Pateetin, of Thailand, and Vivek, of India, will become the first female student-athletes from those countries to compete for Colorado in any current varsity sport, regardless of gender.
Higgins is the two-time defending Colorado Class 5A state champion after claiming back-to-back medalist honors for Valor Christian in 2023 and 2024.
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Connor Jones is set to make his PGA Tour debut
Former CSU Rams golfer Connor Jones has been playing on the amateur circuit for some time and is now ready to try his hand at the professional level.
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The Westminster native earned a spot in the Bermuda Championship by winning the 2024 Elite Amateur Series Cup. In the Elite Amateur Series, he had three top-five finishes that helped him win the series title.
Jones won the 2022 CGA Player of the Year by winning the CGA Match Play and the CGA Amateur. He played in the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club, where he lost in match play to eventual champion Nick Dunlap.
Jones was an All-Mountain West performer in Fort Collins. He tried to qualify for the PGA Tour at Q-school this year, but was unable to advance.
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Skins game
Chance to win the Bermuda Championship
Outsider McNealy + 1600
Seamus Power +1600
Mackenzie Hughes + 1800
Doug Ghim + 2000
Ben Griffin + 2000
Sam Stevens +2000
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Golfing this week
European tour
DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Place: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Course: Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth). Distance: 7,675. Par: 72.
Prize money: $10 million. Winner’s share: $3 million.
Television: Thursday-Saturday, midnight-6am (Golf Channel); Sunday, 11:30 PM – 5:30 AM (golf).
Defending champion: Nicolai Hojgaard.
LPGA Tour
THE ANNIKA
Place: Belleair, Florida.
Course: Pelican GC. Distance: 6,349. Par: 70.
Prize money: $3.25 million. Winner’s share: $487,500.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 8am-11am (Golf); Saturday 12:30-12:30 (NBC Sports app), 12:30-3:00 (Golf); Sunday, 11:30am – 12pm (NBC Sports app); 12:00-2:30 (golf).
Defending champion: Lilia Vu.
PGA Tour
BUTTERFIELD BERMUDA CHAMPIONSHIP
Place: Southampton, Bermuda.
Course: Port Royal GC. Distance: 6,828. Par: 71.
Prize money: $6.9 million. Winner’s share: $1.242 million.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 11am-2pm (Golf); Saturday, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm (Golf Canal); Sunday, 9am-12pm (golf).
Defending champion: Camilo Villegas.