Rory Shows his Mettle in Dubai

What a wonderful final round in Dubai by Rory McIlroy.  Forced to be patient, and produce his best stuff by Andy Sullivan, who came charging out of the gate riding a hot putter, Rory showed why he remains one of the three best--if not the very best--players in the game.

Sullivan, who is no short-knocker himself, found himself routinely forty or more yards behind Rory after the tee shot.  He was clearly out-gunned, but, until he started losing tee shots left, fought valiantly and, as the two separated themselves from the rest of the field, forced Rory to dig deep and show just why he is a great champion.

With a two shot lead on the seventeenth tee, Rory found himself having to wait on the group in front.  During the wait, he and Sullivan, along with their caddies, apparently engaged in some light-hearted conversation.  Whether this caused Rory to temporarily lose his focus, we may never know, but his tee ball thirty to forty yards right of target and into the water suddenly made he and Sullivan tied as they stood over lengthy putts on the seventeenth green.  Sullivan missed his attempt.  Rory stood up and stroked a putt that never left the hole, making his bogey, and retaining a one-shot lead heading to eighteen.

After both players made pars on eighteen, Rory secured his third Race to Dubai title and the DP tour championship; a fitting end to what, perhaps might be called a disappointing season for Rory, only insomuch as he failed to win a Major.  

Two things to be learned from this week in Dubai are that Rory McIlroy is still going to be a force to be reckoned with, and, as Doug Ford once said, "It's just as important to sink a bogey putt as it is to drop one for a par."