Victorious European Ryder Cup rookie hero Jamie Donaldson admits while it is mathematically possible to overhaul Rory McIlroy, the World Number One deserves ending the year also as the leading European Tour money list winner.
McIlroy surprised organisers early last week in withdrawing from the opening two events of the Tour’s ‘Final Four Series’, including this week’s BMW Masters in Shanghai.
The four-time Major winner’s decision to take a fortnight off to focus on preparing himself for next year’s Dublin High Court hearing against his former management company, caught out BMW Masters organisers in terms of promotion with billboards and banners of McIlroy very much in abundance about Shanghai.
And there has been a double blow for event officials with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, and currently third on the money list, taking the week off after his wife gave birth to the couple’s third child.
Welshman Jamie Donaldson stics up his finger but it’s Rory McIlroy deserving of No. 1 in 2014. (Photo www.pgatour.com)
Donaldson arrived in Shanghai lying fourth on the European Tour money list and with the recently turned 39-year old already one place ahead of his career best fifth on the money list a year ago.
But with Donaldson trails McIlroy by Euro 3,510,141 the Welshman would need to win all four events to deny McIlroy a second double PGA Tour and European Tour Number One money list title in three years.
“I don’t do sums and that’s why I play golf as I can’t add up,” he joked.
“Seriously, I would have to win four of them to give Rory anything to think about, and while it’s mathematically possible, I can’t really see that happening.
“So while I have been playing decent golf, and also coming off the high of the Ryder Cup, trying to overhaul Rory is not something that I am thinking about.
“All I am focussing on is putting myself in contention over these four weeks and see I can better last year in finishing better than my fifth place last year on the Race to Dubai.
“As for Rory. He’s season has been unbelievable, unbelievable. Two majors, a first WGC and winning the Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth is just very good.”
Just 78 players will tee-up this week in the $US 7m no halfway cut event being played on the Lake Malaren Course in Shanghai.
