Tommy Fleetwood gives his honest thoughts on Rory McIlroy’s 2024 season ahead of DP World Tour Championship

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Rory McIlroy’s DP World Tour legacy will be further cemented with another Race to Dubai victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course this weekend.

Thriston Lawrence is the four-time major winner’s only competition for the order of merit crown after the South African finished one shot back of McIlroy at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

After mounting a final round charge, McIlroy was left to rue two costly mistakes at Yas Links, which ultimately ended his chances of catching eventual winner, Paul Waring.

Despite the disappointment, McIlroy’s swing changes, for the most part, appeared to pay off, and the Northern Irishman will be confident of winning a sixth order of merit title.

Tommy Fleetwood discusses Rory McIlroy’s season

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McIlroy famously crumbled at the US Open, paving the way for Bryson DeChambeau to land his second major title. Since the heartbreak at Pinehurst, the four-time major winner’s winless run has continued after he finished runner-up at the BMW PGA Championship and Irish Open.

Tommy Fleetwood, however, still believes 2024 has been positive for McIlroy.

“I think Rory has had a great year,” Fleetwood said ahead of the DP World Tour Championship. “Of course, I think it’s easy for everyone to look at what could have happened if things go a little different way. But at the same time, you only get to talk about those things if he is consistently up there with a chance of winning week in and week out.”

The Englishman added: “He’s shown amazing consistency: So close to winning a major; so close to winning a bunch of events while winning a few at the same time. You know, it’s obviously not over yet, but he’s in with a perfect chance, and he has a chance of winning another Race to Dubai title.

“Of course, Rory is held to a higher standard than pretty much everybody else in the world of golf. But I think he’s shown amazing golf again this year, and he’s shown why he’s one of the best to ever do it.”

Race to Dubai title in sight for Rory McIlroy

With Lawrence his nearest competitor, McIlroy’s winless run could be about to end. The Northern Irishman is in pole position to land the order of merit and edge nearer to Colin Montgomerie’s record.

Yet, there’s no doubt McIlroy will be after an out-right victory at the Earth Course.

If the four-time major winner can avoid the costly errors which plagued him in Abu Dhabi, few will be able to match his level of scoring.

The early signs are that McIlroy’s swing changes are working and that there’s plenty to like about what the Northern Irishman has been doing behind the scenes in recent weeks.

Now, it’s time to showcase his improvements with a third win of 2024 and his first since the Wells Fargo Championship in May.