Jumeirah “family” has been so good for me, says teenage star
who feels at home in Dubai
New Dubai Desert Classic champion Rory McIlroy has the golfing world at his feet, with all kinds of riches and success lying ahead after his first professional tournament win on “home” territory.
The immediate effect of McIlroy’s dramatic victory at the Emirates Golf Club on Sunday is that the 19-year-old from Northern Ireland has climbed to No.16 in the world rankings just over 16 months after turning professional.
And while the remarkable teenager now seems assured of a brilliant future packed with success, he will always look back with special satisfaction on his maiden professional win, not only because of the way he secured it, but because of where it took place.
Dubai has become a second home for McIlroy after he signed a sponsorship agreement in September 2007 with luxury hotel company the Jumeirah Group, who manage the landmark Burj Al Arab amongst a growing portfolio of properties worldwide.
He says the relationship with Jumeirah influenced his decision to make Dubai his tournament base between Europe and Asia.
“Having Jumeirah as my sponsors has been so good for me at the start of my professional career,” said McIlroy, who celebrated with his parents, friends, members of his Jumeirah family and guests inside the company’s hospitality behind the 18th green at the Emirates Golf Club.
“They’ve become my family in Dubai. I’m treated so well whenever I go there and find it a great place to relax, as well as practise. I’m already looking forward to spending a lot of time practising in Dubai during the winter months.
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‘The facilities, service and hospitality there is amongst the best in the world, the winter climate is great and I’ll be looking to sharpen my game.”
Apo Demirtas, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Jumeirah Group, said: “We’re thrilled for Rory because he’s worked so hard for his first victory on the PGA European Tour and he thoroughly deserves it.”
“We’re certain there will be many more tournament wins to come, but this one is special because it’s a milestone in his career and it happened here in Dubai. Rory is a great
ambassador for Jumeirah and, just like us, he’s breaking new frontiers. We’re very proud to be partnering such an exciting and talented young golfer who has the world at his feet.”
In September 2007, on the eve of the British Masters, the player who had climbed to the top of the world amateur rankings turned professional, and signed up with Jumeirah the same week. Just a fortnight later he scored a superb third place finish in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to gain his full playing rights on the 2008 European Tour.
At the start of last year, lying 190th in the world rankings, he set his sights on a first professional tournament win and a place in the world’s top 100. But by the end of the year he had climbed inside the top 40 in the world rankings after 11 top ten finishes, twice being denied in play-offs, in the European Masters in Switzerland and the Hong Kong Open.
It seemed inevitable that his breakthrough professional tournament win would come soon, and starting with an eight-under-par opening round of 64 he produced some brilliant golf in Dubai to succeed Tiger Woods as the Desert Classic champion.
Just as impressive as his shot making was the way he held his nerve on the final hole to beat off the challenge of Justin Rose to win by a single stroke.
According to Mark O’Meara, one of McIlroy’s playing partners for the first two rounds and a close friend of the world No.1, the teenager is more advanced than Woods was as a 19-year-old. McIlroy is now hungry to add a second tournament win as soon as possible, and is keen to make an impact when he plays in the US Masters for the first time in April.
