Rory McIlroy eager to end his season on a high at Hong Kong Open

After missing out on the Masters in April thanks to a final round of 80, McIlroy bounced back to win the US Open title in spectacular fashion two months later.

He also claimed the non-sanctioned Shanghai Masters, but it is the number of top-five finishes on both the European and PGA Tours that also stand out for the 22-year-old.

“I suppose I was a little bit surprised at myself how quickly I bounced back from Augusta. I thought it might’ve taken a little bit longer to get over it, but, apart from that, it feels like I could’ve won a few more tournaments,” said McIlroy. “I had chances to win and not taken them.

“I’ve won twice this year, but I feel I could’ve won at least two or three more times. It’s been a great year – the most successful of my career so far – but I feel like I can still improve. There are still areas of my game that can get better.”

McIlroy enters the Hong Kong Open still with an outside chance of pipping Luke Donald to the European money list title.

Fanling has previously proved to the Northern Irishman’s liking. He lost in a thrilling play-off to Lin Wen-tang in 2008 before again finishing runner-up the following year to Gregory Bourdy.

“I’ve come close a couple of times,” said McIlroy, who finished sixth last year. I was involved, for me, in one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on a golf course in 2008 in the play-off with Lin Wen-tang.

“It was getting dark, we both hit a couple of incredible shots from the trees. It was a really fun play-off to be part of, but it didn’t quite work out for me.

“You feel like you go out on this golf course and the worst you can shoot is 66, but it never really turns out that way because it’s a tricky golf course. You put yourself in wrong positions and it can really punish you.

“Ian [Poulter] proved last year that you can go very low on this golf course, I think he won with 22 under par.

“That’s the sort of golf you need to win around here. You need to get off to a good start, but I’ve played some good golf here and I feel like I can do it again.

“I’ve played very, very well this year, climbing to number two in the world rankings is a big achievement and it would be great to finish off the season well with a good result here.”