SINGAPORE — With his closest rivals sitting on the sidelines, Rory McIlroy can wrap up the European Tour money title with a strong showing at this week’s Singapore Open.
The Northern Irishman already has claimed the U.S. PGA Tour money list and is looking to emulate Luke Donald’s 2011 feat of capturing both money titles in the same season.
“I’m in the lead at the moment and it would be nice to increase that,” McIlroy said Wednesday, a day before the tournament. “There’s still a lot to play for in the next three weeks and I want to finish off the season as strong as possible.”
McIlroy has a lead of about $1 million over Swedish golfer Peter Hanson, who beat him by a stroke in Shanghai two weeks ago to climb to second in the Race to Dubai standings. But Hanson has opted out of playing in Singapore.
The next three golfers on the money list also are not competing this week: Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, the winner at last weekend’s HSBC Champions, and Branden Grace.
British Open champion Ernie Els had been in the sixth spot, but his name was dropped from the list this week because he hasn’t played the required number of tournaments.
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Italy’s Francesco Molinari, sixth and seventh in the standings respectively, are taking part in Singapore.
Three-time Singapore champion Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, John Daly and Miguel Angel Jiminez are also teeing it up at the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club.
This weekend’s winner receives $1 million. McIlroy is also competing at next week’s Hong Kong Open, while most of his top challengers are again sitting out.
McIlroy chose not to play last week at the HSBC Champions, a decision that was publicly questioned by the sponsor.
Tiger Woods, ranked second to McIlroy, also declined to play in Shenzhen days after they took part in a head-to-head exhibition event in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou.
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