Marco Penge and Rory McIlroy to Play Together at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
Marco Penge will share a group with Rory McIlroy for the first time at this week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. The 27-year-old English player is thrilled by the opportunity as he has had an outstanding season on the DP World Tour.
"I actually did ask him in Ireland a couple of months ago to get a practice round at some point but haven't crossed paths and timing's not worked out," said Penge.
Admiration for McIlroy
Penge considers McIlroy the best golfer of his generation and respects him greatly as both an athlete and a person.
"For me, he's the best player in my generation of kind of watching golf. He's been so successful, and I think a lot of guys in my age group really look up to him not just as a golfer but as a person."
He aims to compare his strengths with McIlroy's to identify areas for improvement during their upcoming round.
Rise in Penge's Career
Last season, Penge barely kept his tour card by finishing 110th in the Race to Dubai rankings. He also faced a three-month ban for betting on golf shortly afterward.
This year, he has significantly improved, winning three events:
- Hainan Classic
- Danish Golf Championship
- Spanish Open
With these successes, Penge climbed to 29th in the world rankings and is currently second in the Race to Dubai standings, trailing McIlroy by just 500 points.
"I compare a lot of parts of my game to him. I am excited to see what I think my strengths are compared to him on Thursday and see where I can improve."
Current Standings
- Marco Penge: 2nd in Race to Dubai, 29th in world rankings
- Rory McIlroy: Leading the Race to Dubai
Author's summary: Marco Penge, enjoying a breakthrough season with three DP World Tour wins, looks up to Rory McIlroy not only as a top golfer but also as a role model, eager to test himself alongside his idol.