At the start of the year, McIlroy followed his usual practice of writing down various goals. In just about all of them he has, statistically at least, surpassed his original targets.
Scrivener’s jump of 24 spots to 35th in the Race to Dubai standings elevated him into the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai for the first time in his career.
Fleetwood’s final round included three eagles and three back-nine bogeys, a lucky kick off a sprinkler head and a deft chip on the first playoff hole to set up a winning par putt.
A solo second-place finish at the tournament was worth $US828,000, but because you had to add the prizemoney for the third, fourth, fifth and sixth places, then divide the aggregate among the five players, the amount was diluted.
“European No.1” might be a nice moniker to own, but it doesn’t appear as if too many members of the tour’s elite are prepared to labour in its pursuit.
Bernd Wiesberger’s comeback from wrist surgery had already qualified as a success, but in the wake of his victory in the Italian Open overnight he could add remarkable to its description.
With one tournament remaining in the 2017-’18 European Tour season, Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood will become rivals in the quest to claim the Race to Dubai title.