Rory McIlroy gives very reasonable response regarding who is the longer hitter in this week's bombers pairing

Rory McIlroy Responds to Longest Hitter Question Ahead of Abu Dhabi Championship

Five-time major champion Rory McIlroy enters this week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as the favorite, yet not as the obvious longest hitter in his group. On Thursday, during the DP World Tour event, he’ll be paired with Marco Penge, a powerful British golfer who has captured three DP World Tour titles in 2025.

With both known for their distance off the tee, the matchup has sparked anticipation of a driving contest. It also prompted media questions about who might outdrive the other during the event.

In the season-long driving distance statistics, McIlroy maintains a slight advantage at 320.3 yards over Penge’s 319.19. Nicolai Hojgaard currently tops the category with a 321.5-yard average. However, the difference between McIlroy and Penge lies in the efficiency of their long game. Penge ranks second in strokes gained off the tee (+1.06), trailing leader Jon Rahm by just one hundredth of a point—though Rahm has competed in fewer events.

“I don’t know,” Penge said on Tuesday when asked who will hit it farther. “Obviously I want to be past him, and I’m sure he wants to be hitting it past me.”

The two will compete together for the first time while leading the Race to Dubai standings, making the matchup one of the most anticipated of the week.

Author’s Summary

Rory McIlroy and Marco Penge are set for a thrilling distance duel in Abu Dhabi, as both top the driving charts and lead the Race to Dubai standings.

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Golf Digest Golf Digest — 2025-11-05

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