Insider: There's lots to gain as Race to Dubai winds down
By Nick Dye, European Tour Insider
The Race to Dubai is into the home stretch.
Since the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa last December, the European Tour's finest have battled it out across the world. The money list is equivalent to points won in a league table across the multitude of tournaments, and all will come to a head at the Dubai World Championship next week.
A few weeks ago, it looked like PGA champ Martin Kaymer was a nailed-on certainty to be Europe's No. 1. He was more than a million Euros clear of his closest rival after his victory at St. Andrews, his fourth win of an exemplary season.
Yet, the U.S. Open champion, Graeme McDowell, won at Valderrama and it was game on once again. Shanghai didn't make a lot of difference to the tussle, but last week in Singapore, a third place for G-Mac means the gap is down to less than 400,000, and the Northern Irishman is in Hong Kong -- in Kaymer's absence -- looking to close the gap still further. He can't upset the order, even with a win, but he can make it so much tighter at the Jumeirah Golf Estate.
"To give myself the opportunity to win the Order of Merit, considering the type of season he's had, feels good," says McDowell. "I figured if he kept playing the way he was playing, he'd be uncatchable, but he's given me a little chance."
THE UBS HONG KONG OPEN is a popular event on the European Tour. It fits neatly into an Asian swing, but also feels like a little part of Europe in the Far East, because of the historic colonial connections with Britain.
It's popular, too, because of one of the regular side trips: there's always a horse racing night at Happy Valley to entice the players, provided they don't have too early a tee time the next morning.
"A cold beer and gambling, that's my scene, believe it or not," McDowell said.
And then the racing connotations continued in terms of the Race to Dubai. "He (Kaymer) was many lengths clear with a couple of fences to go, but with a couple of furlongs left, I'm coming up the rail fast," the Northern Irishman said.
AS A RESULT OF McDOWELL's SURGE, he's now up to ninth in the world rankings. And it came as something of a shock to Rory McIlroy to be introduced as "world No. 10" in the build up in Hong Kong.
Young Rory's held the upper hand over his countryman for a considerable time, but now finds himself trailing. He's told G-Mac not to get too comfortable, and with McIlroy finishing runner-up at Fanling for the last two years, it's no surprise he's confident of leap-frogging his close friend once again, saying he has some "unfinished business.
"It's one of the events I look at at the start of the year, and try to make my schedule fit," McIlroy said. "It's one of my favorite weeks of the year, I love coming here, and it'd be nice to get that win that's so far eluded me."
McIlroy is certainly in his typical bubbly frame of mind, and he's enjoying the latest wave of ribbing about his hair. Blond highlights are the order of the day for the wonderfully-tangled fuzz.
"After L.A., I'll put more blond in it," Rors said. "You go home to Northern Ireland in the middle of November, and you get pretty bored, so I thought it would be a good laugh. They say blonds have more fun, so let's see if that can work this week."
A COLORFUL RIVAL IN HONG KONG is an always welcome competitor as John Daly makes a return trip, having shot a 62 in a sparkling finish to the 2008 event.
He hopes that he can putt as well as that Sunday, although he admits that's what has let his game down all year.
Daly puts it down, in part, to his dramatic weight loss, saying he's now getting used to being 195 pounds rather than 318. But there are some fundamental challenges, he noted.
"I've got nowhere to put my elbows," Daly said. " I used to be able to put my elbows on my love handles and putt pretty good. Now they're all over the place.
"It's taken a while to get used to this, but I know it's for the better for me and hopefully the results will come pretty soon."
He's quick to offer up what country music star Kenny Chesney said about his change of figure: "JD, you've lost a Backstreet Boy."
WITH THE UBS HONG KONG OPEN the penultimate event on the European Tour, there's plenty at stake. It's not only Graeme McDowell looking at Race to Dubai positions.
Only the top 60 on the Order of Merit make it to the season-ending event. Two-time European Tour winner and Ryder Cup player Soren Hansen is currently in 60th place. One of this season's winners, James Morrison, is a place below and determined to jump into the closing tournament.
Robert-Jan Derksen looks well placed in 57th, but prior to Thursday's start, he was first reserve for Hong Kong -- despite finishing third last year -- and only plays if someone pulls out. Hence, he could be powerless to stop players overtaking him.
Marc Warren is the second reserve, and is in a much more perilous position. Twice a winner on Tour, he's had a poor season and is outside the all-import top 115 places to retain playing rights. He travelled to Singapore, hoping for a start, and couldn't get into the event. It may be the same scenario in Hong Kong, and a visit to q-school is on the horizon.
Felipe Aguilar is looking for the same fortitude as the Chilean miners as he looks to dig himself out of a hole, too. He's 117th on the money list and desperate for light at the end of the tunnel.
The struggling players will look to the example of Simon Khan. Last year, he was in tears in Hong Kong, knowing he'd not done enough to retain his card. He went to q-school, won, got back on Tour and blossomed at the BMW PGA champion with entry into majors.
Nick Dye is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessariy represent those of the PGA TOUR.
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