Rory McIlroy has gained his sixth Race to Dubai title after triumphing within the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
The 35-year-old has now gained three successive Race to Dubai crowns and his sixth total — beforehand profitable in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023 — to match the report of {golfing} legend Seve Ballesteros on the European tour.
McIlroy entered the season-closing event with a 1,785-point lead over closest challenger Thriston Lawrence, who wanted to win the DP World Tour Championship and hope McIlroy completed exterior the highest 11 in Dubai if he had been to win.
McIlroy gained the trophy forward of the South African by ending two strokes forward of Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard on 15-under at Jumeirah Golf Estates as he shot a three-under-par 69 in his ultimate spherical. Hojgaard was degree with McIlroy with 4 holes left to play however an excellent method shot allowed the Northern Irishman to birdie the sixteenth and pull forward of the Dane, who then missed a birdie putt on the 18th earlier than McIlroy sealed the win with one in all his personal.
“It means quite a bit as a result of I’ve been by way of quite a bit this 12 months, professionally and personally,” McIlroy advised Sky Sports activities.
“It feels just like the becoming finish to 2024; there have been a number of shut calls the place I haven’t been capable of get it over the road, however this was a troublesome day once I might get the job achieved.”
McIlroy’s Race to Dubai win comes after he seemed to be on the cusp of ending his 10-year look forward to a significant in June, however struggled in his ultimate spherical on the US Open and misplaced to the American Bryson DeChambeau by one shot.
GO DEEPER
From Rory’s hometown, the angst of McIlroy
When requested about equaling the Race to Dubai report held by the late Ballesteros, McIlroy grew to become visibly tearful as he defined the importance.
“Everybody is aware of what Seve means to European golf and Ryder Cup gamers,” he mentioned.
“Within the European locker room, all we’ve got are quotes from Seve — we’ve got a altering room with a Seve shirt from ’95, the final Ryder Cup he performed.
“He means a lot to European golf and for me to be talked about in the identical breath as him…I’m very proud.”
GO DEEPER
McIlroy: Donald Trump’s election ‘clears the way in which’ for PGA Tour-PIF deal
(Richard Heathcote / Getty Pictures)