Despite missing out on winning last week’s Tour Championship by a few strokes Rory McIlroy can still look back on 2014 as his best year on tour since he joined the paid ranks.

Rory’s season really took off at this year’s PGA championship at Wentworth, even though the event will be remembered more for his press conference, publicly announcing the end of his engagement to Caroline Wozniacki. Actually at the same event Rory was lucky to make the cut and some how managed to overcome a six shot deficit on the last day. Despite not playing great he showed great character to win an event even in third gear. Winning such an event really kick started his season.

Two majors, a World Golf Championship and the BMW PGA Championship later, the 25-year-old answered all questions regarding his game in emphatic fashion to win both the PGA Tour Money List and the Race To Dubai.

While Rory ended the season on a high another rising star from Ireland has gradually been working his way up the world rankings, so much so that Shane Lowry closing round of 66 at last Sunday’s Tour Championship propelled him into the world top 50.

For the most part, Lowry plied his trade in such far-flung places as Africa North and South, the Far East and in ‘second tier’ tour events in Europe offering minimal ranking points and tournament prize-funds as low as $715,000.

As a member of the world’s top 50, however, Lowry will from January to June compete for his share of purses totalling $67.74m, including two Majors (the Masters and US Open), two World Golf Championships (the Cadillac Championship and Match Play) and, as he suggested on Sunday, a couple of US Tour events, which should boast $6m-plus each.

As a member of the world top 50, Lowry becomes master of his own destiny. Effectively, all doors are open, so he can fill in the time between Majors and WGCs as he pleases.

No doubt Lowry will continue to blossom in this company and and enhance his changes of making the next Ryder Cup Team in 2016.

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