Is Rory McIlroy still the needle mover in golf? Sky Sports' Robert Lee reflects on the Northern Irishman's Race to Dubai success, how he compares to the world's top two and looks at whether major victory is needed for a successful 2025.
There was a lot on the line for Rory McIlroy because, for guys like him, a win means everything. You can finish second, third or fourth as many times as you want, but every time you don't win - when you're supposed to - you get criticised.
I think he held the wolves off with two birdies in the last three holes in Dubai, when he had to do it to win. It was a very important win for McIlroy and you could see, from his emotion when he was interviewed, the build-up that had been there to get over the line.
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For him to tie Seve Ballesteros' six Order of Merits, he'll be very buoyed by that and I think sets him up very nicely for a big year. McIlroy's going to feel good going into a little bit of off time for him and his family before he gets cracking with 2025.
When you're talking about all-time greats of European golf, he's right there. When he's on, he's like Ben Hogan on steroids and when he's slightly off, he can swashbuckle like his hero Seve did.
If everybody is playing their absolute best, I still think McIlroy is the best player in the world. I know Scottie Scheffler has been amazing, but Scheffler doesn't make me want to watch the television. Xander Schauffele doesn't make me want to watch the television.
But McIlroy does because you're kind of on a rollercoaster with him. You're up, you're down, you're following him along the tracks and you quite often don't know where he is going to go.
You're on the edge of your seat as a viewer with McIlroy and he carries you with him. He can hit shots that pretty much no one else in the world can hit. McIlroy is the needle and he's an amazing golfer, he really is.
'Little things' deny McIlroy 'best season'
McIlroy said himself - with the US Open, BMW PGA Championship and the Amgen Irish Open - it was just tiny little things that stopped him from potentially winning more times.
I think he's satisfied with his year but he will know that he missed two three-footers in the last few holes at the US Open and got pipped by Bryson DeChambeau, who had that amazing up and down from that front bunker.
At the BMW PGA Championship, I'll never forget the two three-woods he hit onto the 17th and holed the putt for an eagle. He then got beaten by Billy Horschel, who made an incredible putt from across the green for eagle in the play-off.
Then in the Irish Open up the last hole, he hit a 350-yard drive and then an iron to a front left pin that nobody could get close to. The putt for eagle and a play-off agonisingly went past the right edge, leaving Rasmus Hojgaard winning there.
Now, McIlroy might not have won the play-off in Ireland, but these are just tiny little things. You don't have control in golf at the best of times and he could have potentially had the best season of his year.
Major needed in 2025 for successful season?
Not winning The Masters is one thing, but for McIlroy it is also the potential career Grand Slam, so it's like a double whammy for him. He's the only player in that field every year that has that burden, that weight of expectation, as he could be only the sixth career Grand Slam golfer ever.
He is the only player in the world that goes to Augusta every April and carries that with him. You would think, as one of the best players in the world, it's going to happen for him at some time and I still believe that.
All the cogs will at some point go into place he will get that Green Jacket. For me, that would be the cherry on the cake on what has already been a fantastic career, but he's only 35 and there's lots more to come from him.
You look at his game and what's there, not only can he hit it 330 yards plus, but people also don't give him enough credit for his short game. When he gets out of position, he gets it up and down an awful lot of times.
When he putts well, he putts a lot better than people think. He really has all the ingredients to go to Augusta and win. I know McIlroy can find the pins, but it's a defensive golf course and one where you must avoid making stupid mistakes.
You can easily turn bogeys into a double bogey around there and it's hard to get those shots back, so it's a case of McIlroy un-mistaking his game around Augusta National for four days. At some point, I'm convinced it's going to happen. Why can't it be in 2025?
A successful 2025 for him would be a major championship. Any of them, absolutely any of them. If it were to be the Cinderella story at Augusta National, then that would be career defining.
Watch Rory McIlroy in action on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour live on Sky Sports Golf. McIlroy will begin his 2025 season at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic from January 16-19. Stream the DP World Tour and more with NOW.
