ONWARD AND upward, simply ticking all the appropriate boxes as he goes along; and, as Rory McIlroy has discovered, sometimes it even pays to put the clubs away, take a break, and still move up the world rankings.
Yesterday, McIlroy – despite not playing last weekend having started a winter’s break that won’t end until he picks up clubs again in the Abu Dhabi Championship in mid-January – moved up to a career-high ninth in the latest official world rankings, making him, at 20 years of age, the youngest player to reach such lofty heights.
McIlroy, who professes to be “feeling better” after picking up a flu-like virus en route from China to Sun City two weeks ago which forced him out of the Nedbank Challenge in Sun City, has also claimed to have learned a valuable lesson in scheduling having played eight tournaments in nine weeks. “I’ll know for next year not to do that again, I was really tired and run down,” he said.
The Ulsterman was yesterday named as the Professional of the Year by the Irish Golf Writers’ Association in their awards, sponsored by AIB, after a season in which he secured a maiden tour victory – in the Dubai Desert Classic in February – and went on to finish second to Lee Westwood in the Race to Dubai.
McIlroy had 14 top-10 finishes, including a third-place finish at the US PGA Championship at Hazeltine in August.
McIlroy started the year at 39th in the world rankings, improving to his current high of ninth.
Shane Lowry, the 22-year-old from Esker Hills in Co Offaly has been voted men’s amateur of the year in recognition of his win in the 3 Irish Open at Co Louth Golf Club in May.
In becoming just the third amateur to win a full event on the PGA European Tour, Lowry – who claimed the title in a play-off with Robert Rock, but who was unable to collect the €500,000 top prize because of his amateur status – brought an end to a star-studded amateur career which had seen him lead Ireland to back-to-back European Championship in the previous two seasons.
Lisa Maguire, who performed the feat of winning both the Lancome Irish Close and the 3 Irish Women’s Amateur Open championships, has been named women’s amateur of the year.
Lisa was also on the winning European Girls’ team – along with her sister, Leona, and Laura McCarthy – which defeated Sweden 4-1 in the final.
The Distinguished Services to Golf Award will be awarded to Albert Lee, from Mullingar Golf Club, who is the honorary secretary of the Golfing Union of Ireland and a past president of the oldest national governing body in the world.
The awards ceremony will take place in Dublin on January 7th.
Meanwhile, Lowry – nowadays plying his trade on the professional circuit – will be part of a five-strong Irish contingent in this week’s South African Open at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, Paarl, Western Cape.
Lowry will be joined by Gareth Maybin, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey and Gary Murphy.
