McIlroy looking a little short to top the US Money List again
Published:It’s been a spectacular year for Rory McIlroy with wins at The Open and PGA Championship providing highlights in what was a consistently good campaign.
With the 2014 ‘season’ coming to an end the Ulsterman stood atop the US Money List, a cool $1.9m clear of Bubba Watson in second, and a further $400k ahead of Jim Furyk in third.
He is clear 5/2 favourite to rake in the most earnings once again in the 2015 campaign which starts with the Frys.Com Open in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Considering McIlroy took part in 17 events in the States, compared to Watson (16/1) and Furyk’s (25/1) 21, and fourth place Jimmy Walker’s (40/1) 27, it makes that figure even more impressive.
But the importance of his performances in the Majors provide the bulk of the gap, and it could have been a whole different story had Rory failed to fire at the PGA Championship, where he walked away with a cool $1.8m, and at the Masters where his tied-8th placed finish bagged him a further $234k.
For example Jim Furyk, a remarkably consistent player on the tour this season, claiming 10 top-10 finishes his last 16 events this year, despite not winning a tournament, picked up just over $500k from these two events.
So had Furyk won a couple of events, and performed better at the Majors he could have run the Northern Irishman closer than the $2.3m gap this time round.
And at 25/1, with each way bets paying down to the first four, there are far worse bets than the man from Pennsylvania.
McIlroy will defend his PGA Championship title this year at Whistling Straits, a course that he finished third at when it hosted the 2010 renewal, and will play a key part in his assault on the Money List this time round.
Furyk, however was no mug when he visited the Wisconsin course last time out. It was only a final round 77 that put paid to his chances, finishing in a tie for 24th, having been challenging for the lead after three days.
While it is hard not to see the former carry on his crusade to golf domination, at 5/2, he does little to tempt in a market that is so heavily balanced on three events.
Therefore an each way bet on the wily 44-year-old at 25/1 appeals as just the bet to start the golf season off with.
All odds and markets correct as of the date of publishing
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