While accepted wisdom suggests a sixth Race to Dubai title might as well be handed to Rory McIlroy now, his nearest competitor at the top of the rankings has not given up just yet.
Thriston Lawrence is second in the standings ahead of the start of the first leg of the inaugural DP World Tour Play-off.
As such, he will play alongside McIlroy, and Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard, over the opening two days of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links.
The South African has the best part of 1,600 points to make up over the next two weeks – first at Yas, then at Jumeirah Golf Estates – if he is to beat the world No 3 to the order of merit title.
It might be a long shot, but Lawrence insists anything is still possible, and that he has it in him to win both the remaining events of the season.
“In the last two years, I was 19th and 14th going into the last two events,” Lawrence said. “I know Rory is a couple of points ahead but it's not going to stop me to try and catch him. I know I'm good enough to win both events going into the final.
“It's always good to see my name up there, and I'm very proud of myself how I kept calm this year, being runner-up five times, but not getting a victory. There's two left and hopefully I can do something special in the last two.”
Lawrence’s self belief belies the fact that he will be in uncharted water when teeing it up in Abu Dhabi. Primarily, it is the first time he has had a shot at winning the Race to Dubai.
But it will also be the first time he has played a full 18 holes with McIlroy. He has had one brief sample of his company on the course before. The duo were the defeated players when Billy Horschel won the BMW PGA Championship at the first play-off hole at Wentworth back in September.
“I’m really, really excited,” Lawrence said. “I think he's probably the best golfer golf has seen the last 15 years consistently.
“That's sort of where I see myself going forward is being so consistent every year and contending on both tours. And Rasmus, good player, nice guy, as well, so I’m very excited for the next few days.”
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
Tomorrow 2021
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi
4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri
Tomorrow 2021
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Like a Fading Shadow
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Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
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Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Tomorrow 2021
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THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
