Despite illness and missed practice, Marco Penge challenges Rory McIlroy at the DP World Tour Championship finale.
27-year-old Englishman Marco Penge is emerging as a surprising challenger to Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. After serving a three-month suspension for a rules violation, Penge climbed steadily up the Race to Dubai rankings through consistent performances, ultimately securing second place and setting up a direct showdown with McIlroy. However, his preparation for the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai took an unexpected turn—he spent it in bed due to illness.
Penge was bedridden on Monday and Tuesday before the tournament and missed crucial practice rounds. “Yeah, I wasn’t feeling well. I spent the last two days in bed,” Penge said during a Wednesday press conference. “I really wanted to play in the Pro-Am yesterday, so I went to the doctor at 7 a.m. to see if there was anything I could do to recover faster. But they just sent me home. I had no choice. I made sure I’d be fit by Thursday.”
Although he managed to play nine holes on Wednesday, Penge admitted: “This is all still pretty new to me. It’s still a golf course, fairways and greens, and that’s the plan, I suppose. You can visualize it. You just have to hit the ball straight.”
DP World Tour: Penge and McIlroy paired again
Penge and McIlroy are paired for the opening rounds on the Earth Course, just as they were during the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship earlier in November. Reflecting on his unusual preparation, Penge said: “I was actually in bed yesterday watching all four of Rory’s rounds from last year on YouTube. So I felt like I already had a pretty good idea of the course before arriving today.” He added, “I’m taking this week in stride, watching Rory play and trying to make the most of the experience. I’m learning from him, just like I did in the first two rounds last week. He has more experience than I do and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.”