Rory McIlroy v Eugenio Chacarra: How did Abu Dhabi Championship affect Race to Dubai?

With one tournament left in the Race to Dubai, Rory McIlroy remains in pursuit of Eugenio Chacarra.

The world No 2 is chasing an eighth order of merit title on the DP World Tour. That would equal the record held by Colin Montgomerie.

Although he has ground to make up, the picture was altered by what happened at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

Abu Dhabi

McIlroy started the tournament at Yas Links third in the money list, behind Chacarra in first, and Patrick Reed in second.

McIlroy finished third – the 11th time in 15 attempts that he had finished in the top three in the capital without winning it.

Chacarra finished in a tie for 22nd, while Reed struggled to finish 43rd, equal with two other players.

As such, McIlroy leapfrogged Reed and took a chunk out of Chacarra’s points advantage at the top of the standings.

Rahm wins in Abu Dhabi – in pictures

Standings

There were 1,500 points on offer for the winner, which was Jon Rahm, in Abu Dhabi.

That rises to 2,000 in the season finale at the DP World Tour Championship this week.

McIlroy is just over 500 points behind Chacarra, with a small points advantage over Reed.

Permutations

If McIlroy wins at the Earth Course, as he has three times previously, he will be guaranteed the Order of Merit title, no matter what Chacarra does.

If he is runner-up on his own and Chacarra finishes below him, McIlroy will also win the race – but only just.

If the Northern Irishman finishes in a tie for second and Chacarra finishes fourth, the calculations will be complicated.

Chacarra and Reed would each also win the race if they take the title at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Chacarra

The 26-year-old Spaniard has earned top spot by winning four times on the DP World Tour this season – but he still says McIlroy is the favourite.

“He's the No 2 player in the world and the No 1 in Europe,” said Chacarra, who will become the third Spanish order of merit winner, after Rahm and Seve Ballesteros, if he is successful.

“He's been doing it for a long time and he plays really good out in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. He has played [Earth Course] a million times, and I only played it once.

“Obviously, the odds are on him and he's the favourite. But we'll play golf. We know what I'm capable of when I am playing good.

“There was a lot of good [in Abu Dhabi], but I just need to sharpen up to have a chance [in Dubai].”

McIlroy

McIlroy, who has won the past four Races to Dubai, said he was happy to halve the deficit at the top after his performance in Abu Dhabi.

“It's a pretty familiar spot for me going into the DP World Tour Championship, and I'm excited for it,” McIlroy said.

“That was the goal coming into these two weeks, to try to catch Eugenio and Patrick and try to win the Race to Dubai again.

“It would have been great to win [in Abu Dhabi] and give myself not as much of a deficit or even a lead, but still feel like I'm right in there with a great chance.”