World number three Rory McIlroy ended the season in style by winning the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Sunday, two shots ahead of Rasmus Hojgaard, to seal his sixth Race to Dubai title.
The 35-year-old Northern Irishman carded a 69 in the final round at Jumeirah Golf Estates to finish at 15 under par after two birdies in the final three holes defeated Dane Hojgaard.
McIlroy equaled the six titles won by the late Seve Ballesteros at the European Tour’s season-long race in Dubai, formerly called the Order of Merit. Scotsman Colin Montgomerie holds the record with eight victories.
“It’s really cool, I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf, to Ryder Cup players,” said a visibly moved McIlroy.
“The European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have is quotes from Seve, we had a locker room with Seve’s jersey from 1995, the last Ryder Cup he played.
“He means so much to European golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath makes me very proud.”
McIlroy entered the final tournament on course to clinch his third consecutive Race to Dubai title, with a 1,785.02 points lead over second-placed South African Thriston Lawrence, who finished far behind the field with a under s.
McIlroy began the final round tied with Hojgaard and Antoine Rozner of France at 12 under, but Rozner’s challenge faded with a double bogey at the ninth.
McIlroy and Hojgaard both made bogey on the opening hole, but the Northern Irishman followed with four straight birdies before another bogey at the ninth left McIlroy with a one-shot lead heading into the back nine.
A bogey for McIlroy on the 13th allowed Hojgaard to move back into a tie but the four-time major champion finished stronger and the Dane finished third in the Race to Dubai.
Shane Lowry’s four-under-par round gave the Irishman a share of third place alongside Rozner and Australian Adam Scott.
McIlroy, who lost the US Open by one stroke in June to Bryson DeChambeau, had already won three trophies on the PGA and European Tours in 2024, the Dubai Desert Classic, the Zurich Classic in New Orleans alongside Lowry and the Wells Fargo Championship.
“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally. This seems like the ideal end to 2024,” McIlroy said.
“I persevered a lot this year, I had some difficulties, I didn’t make it, so to be able to cross the finish line, fortunately, I held on on a difficult day and I I did the job.”
