World No. 1 Rory McIlroy believes the notion of he and rival Tiger Woods competing head-to-head is a great sports marketing tool.
The duo will create a first next Monday in going head-to-head in the ‘Duel at Lake Jinsha’ to be staged in Zhenghou, a city in central north China lying on the banks of the Yellow River and boasting a population of some nine million.
The stars of this week’s $7m BMW Masters meet the press – Ian Poulter, Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, China No. 1 Ashun Wu and Lee Westwood. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
McIlroy and Woods will be the only players competing making it an historic encounter despite the duo having recently gone head-to-head for a first time in Turkey but in an event boasting 16 players.
“That should be really exciting and I’m really looking forward to heading back to Lake Jinshia,” said McIlroy.
“I’ve spoken to Tiger about it and we are both really excited as it will be the first time we will ever do something like this together, and hopefully the first of a few occasions we can do this.
“I see it also as a good marketing exercise for Tiger and myself. We both enjoy each other’s company, and besides there is not many guys I would do something like this with and I know he feels the same.
“So it should work well.”
McIlroy, who stars in this week’s $7m BMW Masters, looks to have shaken off any lingering Ryder Cup hangover and is determined to end the year on a high in being crowned European Number One.
He has been joined at the Lake Malaren Club in Shanghai by 10 of his dozen winning Ryder Cup winning colleagues with the only team member being Spain’s Sergio Garcia.
But after an indifferent showing in Turkey, where McIlroy was bundled out by Woods in the Turkisk Airlines World Golf Final, the Northern Irishman is confident of a better showing this week.
“If I had of known the summer I was going to have, I really would not have signed up for the Turkish event,” McIlroy said.
“But then I went and it was a pretty relaxing week , and I got to spend the week with Caroline which was nice.
“However I did not pick up a club since the Ryder Cup until the day before the Turkish match, so I wasn’t taking it that seriously.”
“But now I’ve just had a week in the States and spent six days working with my coach, Michael Bannon at the Bear’s Club in West Palm Beach, so I’m pleased to be back to competition this week here in Shanghai.
“I’ve got a big run left in my year with four tournaments in the next five weeks, so I would like to finish off the season as well as I can.
“I have finished second in the Race to Dubai two of the last three years so I would to knock that off and try and do what Luke (Donald) did last year and win the money on both Tour’s.
“I’ve got Justin (Rose) and Branden (Grace) right behind me and there is still some big-money events still to play, so I’ve four events left and if I do play well in those four events hopefully I can achieve that goal.”
McIlroy currently leads Justin Rose by Euro 437,334 ($US 353,094) with South African Branden Grace in second place and Euro 785,746 ($US 634,251) behind.
However both Rose and Grace, along with the next seven on the money list could go ahead of McIlroy if successful in capturing this week’s $US 1.166m (Euro 894,491) first prize cheque.
McIlroy has been drawn to play the opening two rounds of the 78-player field event in the company of Medinah winning colleagues, Westwood and Rose.
And McIlroy is also among 15 fellow Major winners competing in Shanghai including victorious European Team captain, Jose Maria Olazabal.
