Rory McIlroy secured the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai crown for a seventh time – and a fourth consecutive season – on Sunday, although the world No 2 fell short in the Tour Championship after England’s Matt Fitzpatrick prevailed on the first playoff hole.
Competing on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Fitzpatrick closed with a 66 and forced a playoff after birdieing the 72nd to reach 18 under par. Moments later, McIlroy matched the target in dramatic fashion, holing a 16-foot eagle putt after a superb second shot into the final hole.
However, the playoff turned decisively when McIlroy found the water from the tee, allowing Fitzpatrick to secure his third DP World Tour Championship title following wins in 2016 and 2020. The victory is his 10th on the DP World Tour in 195 starts and is projected to elevate him to No 24 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Four players shared tie-third on 17 under: England’s Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Laurie Canter (67), Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg (66) and Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (68).
South Africa’s Jayden Schaper ended on 10 under (T20) after carding 70, with countryman Thriston Lawrence’s 74 leaving him on eight under (T24).
McIlroy’s latest season title moves him past Seve Ballesteros and puts him within one of Colin Montgomerie’s all-time record of eight Order of Merit triumphs.
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– AFP
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Article Link: McIlroy claims seventh race to Dubai title