McIlroy leads star-studded WGC

SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — World number two Rory McIlroy said his strongest season in years has motivated him to recapture golf’s top ranking, as he leads a field packed with Major winners into this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

Asia’s biggest event tees off Thursday without world number one Brooks Koepka, out with a knee strain, nor a rejuvenated Tiger Woods, who electrified golf with a record-tying 82nd PGA Tour win in Japan on Monday.

But an event dubbed “Asia’s Major” still features of plenty of star power including 15 past Major champions such as Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Adam Scott.

But few are playing as well as McIlroy, the 2019 FedEx Cup champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year, who won the Tour Championship event in August and tied for third behind Woods at the Zozo Championship in Japan two days ago.

The 30-year-old Northern Irishman’s stellar season has propelled him up the world golf rankings, and although a victory in Shanghai won’t push him past the absent Koepka, McIlroy said he’s not finished.