Race to Dubai 2014 Standings: Latest Rankings and Predictions After BMW Masters
Marcel Siem edged a frantic playoff decider in Shanghai on Sunday to snatch the top prize at the BMW Masters, the first Final Series event of this year's Race to Dubai.
Rory McIlroy leads the rankings by more than three million points as we look toward this weekend's WGC-HSBC Champions, although the Northern Irishman won't feature in the upcoming Shanghai tournament.
His legal battle involving Horizon Sport Management has diverted his attention elsewhere, per the Irish Independent but as our predictions show, McIlroy is still in the driving seat as we edge closer to Dubai.
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Here's a look at the standings and predictions after the BMW Masters. A full table can be found at EuropeanTour.com.
| Pos. | Player | Tournaments Played |
| 1 | Rory McIlroy | 14 |
| 2 | Jamie Donaldson | 22 |
| 3 | Sergio Garcia | 14 |
| 4 | Marcel Siem | 19 |
| 5 | Justin Rose | 12 |
| 6 | Henrik Stenson | 17 |
| 7 | Alexander Levy | 27 |
| 8 | Thomas Bjorn | 24 |
| 9 | Victor Dubuisson | 20 |
| 10 | Mikko Ilonen | 23 |
| 11 | Joost Luiten | 24 |
| 12 | Victor Dubuisson | 15 |
| 13 | Stephen Gallacher | 24 |
| 14 | Shane Lowry | 24 |
| 15 | Ross Fisher | 26 |
| 16 | Graeme McDowell | 13 |
| 17 | Louis Oosthuizen | 12 |
| 18 | Thongchai Jaidee | 23 |
| 19 | Tommy Fleetwood | 25 |
| 20 | Charl Schwartzel | 15 |
Predictions
Justin Rose to Top The Billing in Shanghai
It's been a steady year of growth for Justin Rose, who has failed to register a positive final score in any tournament he's competed in since winning the Scottish Open in July.
That tournament proved to be a key turning point in his calendar, and a joint-fourth-place finish in Shanghai on Sunday has put the Englishman in fine stead as attention turns to the WGC-HSBC Champions.
Rose was close to featuring among the playoff contenders, too, but as he showed via his Twitter account, the world No. 6 isn't feeling downbeat about the narrow margin of his defeat:
Buoyed by the recent Ryder Cup victory inspired by the Brit and his European compatriots, Rose shot 16-under over the weekend and will be pleased to hear of McIlroy's absence for this upcoming test.
With that obstacle out of the way, Rose is as good as anybody in the field this week, but he must begin to prove it.
Thomas Bjorn This Year's Dark Horse
Among all the major winners and stellar names of the European Tour, Thomas Bjorn might not be viewed by many as a major threat to the likes of McIlroy, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and the rest of the elite golf ranks.
However, the Dane currently sits eighth in the Race to Dubai rankings after playing in 24 tournaments this year, France's Alexander Levy the only other top-10 contender to have featured in more.
The 43-year-old failed to hit optimum form in Shanghai this past weekend and could only muster a performance good enough to tie for 24th. However, golf writer Paul Kelly illustrates the strict standards by which Bjorn governs his own play:
What's more, Bjorn hasn't won a European Tour event since finishing first at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in December 2013, not long before tying for 10th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January of this year.
In the end, though, playing so regularly may come to be the veteran's best asset heading to Dubai, and having stood as a consistent figure on the circuit this year, his will be a name to watch as the series reaches a crescendo.
Rory McIlroy Claims Second Race to Dubai Title
For so long, playing the role of favourite was a pressure that didn't sit particularly well with McIlroy, ever seen as a source of limitless potential, but one who struggled to always perform.
Those binds no longer bother the 25-year-old, though, and with such a resounding lead at the summit of the Race to Dubai rankings, it speaks volumes he can afford to take some time away from the sport.
BMW Masters tournament director Marco Kaussler spoke to Sky Sports (h/t ESPN) of his disappointment at not having McIlroy on hand in Shanghai this weekend, saying:
"We are very sorry that Rory McIlroy will not tee off at the BMW Masters for the first time since the tournament has been held. We obviously understand the disappointment of the many golf fans in China but we respect his decision.
"
That spectacle may return in time for the Turkish Airlines Open later in November, where McIlroy will look to lay down a marker.
Preparing for the final event in Dubai, McIlroy will have his attention focused to reclaim a title he won back in 2012, a dangerous proposition for all those wishing to compete.
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