Thriston Lawrence said winning this week's DP World Tour Championship and overhauling Rory McIlroy to clinch the Race to Dubai title would "mean the world" to him. (More Football News)
Lawrence is the only player who can prevent McIlroy fromꦇ winning the Race to Dubai title – formerly the Order of Merit – and joining the late Seve Ballesteros on six and going only two behind Colin Montgomerie's record.
The South African, however, needs a victory at Jume𒉰irah Golf Estates and then needs Northern Irishman McIlroy to꧙ finish tied for 11th or lower.
McIlroy finished third at the Abu Dhabi Championship last weekend, crucially finishing a shot ahead of 🎐Lawrence as Paul Waring claimed his second DP World Tour success, and his first title in six yea﷽rs.
Lawre🦩nce ꦗ;has had five runner-up finishes - including at The Open and the BMW PGA Championship - and five more top-10s during an impressive campaign.
It leaves him currently 1,785 points behind McIlroy with 2,000 available to the winner in Dubai, and Lawrence i♔s relishing the♚ opportunity of competing against his "idol".
"It's nice to have a chance," Lawrence ꩵsaid in his pre-tournament press conference. "It's going to take a lot, buജt just incredible to have an opportunity. I'm very grateful just to be inside the top 50 to be able to compete this week.
"It has been an unbelievable year. Rory [McI🐈lroy] has been an idol for me since growing up as a youngster and being able to clinch it this week would be the cherry on the cake for myself.
"It would mean the world - being the best golfer on the European Tour🔯 over the year is an unbelievable achievement.
&qꦗuot;Sitting here right now, I've achieved a lot of 𒅌things that I've wanted to. But to get this trophy behind me would just be unbelievable."
Lawrence won twice on the DP World Tour in each of his first two seasons😼 and has since moved inside the world's top 50 despite his only 2024 victory coming on the Sunshine Tour, with the 27-year-old proud of his progression a𝔉s a golfer.
"The ﷽consistency has been the highlight," Lawrence ad﷽ded. "Finishing in the top 10 ten times this year proves that I'm growing as a golfer, and I'm getting more comfortable out here.
"Obviously, ranking-wise, it's the best seꦰason I've had in my life. I won twice in my rookie year, twice last year🎃. This year, I won on the Sunshine Tour, which is nice.
"I alway𝓡s feel like with the strength of golfers in today's time, winning on any tour is quite an achievement.
"Not won oღn this tour yet, but there is still one evenꦛt left, so maybe it's my time this week. Where I am now, it just feels comfortable.
"𒁃It feels like I can win every week. Just to see myself grow from two years ago is just unbe🌌lievable."
