Rory McIlroy Comments on Who Is the Longer Hitter This Week
Rory McIlroy enters the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as the clear favourite, yet for once, he may not be the longest hitter in his playing group. The five-time major champion will be paired with English powerhouse Marco Penge, who has claimed three DP World Tour titles in 2025.
The pairing has stirred interest ahead of Thursday’s tee time, as both players are well known for their impressive driving distance. Statistically, McIlroy has a slight edge this season with an average drive of 320.3 yards compared to Penge’s 319.19. However, Nicolai Hojgaard currently leads the category with a 321.5-yard average.
Beyond distance, Penge’s precision and control off the tee have been remarkable. He ranks second in strokes gained off the tee at +1.06, just 0.01 behind leader Jon Rahm, who has competed in far fewer events.
This week marks the first time McIlroy and Penge play together as the top two contenders in the season-long Race to Dubai standings. When asked about their head-to-head driving duel, Penge offered a reserved response:
“I don’t know,” Penge said when asked on Tuesday about who will hit it longer.
Author’s Summary
At the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Rory McIlroy and Marco Penge face off in a must-watch driving battle, with both near the top of global distance and performance stats.