Rory McIlroy makes honest admission over Dubai prep with DP World Tour title already won

Rory McIlroy took an early, unchallenged win in last Sunday’s Race to Dubai, but the Northern Irishman got off to a poor start with his best performance at this week’s DP World Championship.

Rory McIlroy admits he went into this week’s DP World Championships unprepared after winning his fifth successive Dubai Run title a week ago.

McIlroy won his second DP World Tour Medal of Merit last week without lifting a finger.
The Northern Irishman’s closest rivals couldn’t get close to him at the Nedbank Golf Challenge last week, securing the title a week before the end of the season.

McIlroy, the defending champion heading to Dubai, got off to a slow start on the Earth Course, trailing 36-hole leader and Ryder Cup teammate Nikolaj Hodggaard by 10 shots after opening rounds of 71 and 72.
Hoping to end his campaign on a winning note, McIlroy swung into action on Saturday and shot a 7-under 65 in the third round to move into the top 20 with 18 holes remaining.
The four-time winner put his slow start down to a lack of preparation for the start of the week.
“I haven’t done much since the Ryder Cup.
As you know, I’ve been trying to train a bit in the last few weeks,” he said.
“But I sprained my wrist a few weeks ago, so it limited the number of balls I could hit.

“Yeah, I didn’t prepare as well as I could or should have, but I think it’s starting to fall into place as the days go by.” McIlroy’s third round on Saturday morning went smoothly after the 34-year-old birdied seven of 18 holes.
The former Open champion heads to Dubai this season with the title in hand, but admitted he has no plans to defend his crown in the same way.
“Maybe I wish I had done it differently.” he said before the tournament.
“But I played well when I won the European tour and the Two Rolex series, and in another big finish tournament, my name was the fifth and strange [Colin Montgomery] after Plaga and Seve Back Garry Ararron.

“But you talk about the biggest European game and if someone made a professional debut in 2007, I said I don’t believe them now.”

At the Dubai event there was another new competitions.
“I don’t take it for granted,” he added.

“You know, it just shows the consistency that we’ve had over the years.
Even if you feel like you had a good year, you might not feel like you had a good year.
Keep up the good work.\”