Rory McIlroy finished the 2024 DP World Tour season in style by winning his sixth Race to Dubai crown following victory at the DP World Tour Championship.
After a third placed finish at last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, only South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence could deny McIlroy from claiming his sixth Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex of his career.
Lawrence needed to win and for the World Number Three to finish in 12th or worse for him to overturn McIlroy’s huge advantage, but his challenge never materialised as he carded a one-under-par total at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The Northern Irishman shared the lead after the first and third rounds, and looked in total control when he burst three shots clear thanks to a run of four straight birdies from the second.
Rasmus Højgaard remained in touch and capitalised on bogeys at the ninth and 13th from McIlroy to sit alongside him at the summit at 13 under.
However, birdies at the 16th and 18th paid dividends for McIlroy as he secured his third triumph on the Earth course by two shots to complete a season-finale double.
Antoine Rozner, who shared the third-round lead with McIlroy and Højgaard, birdied the opening hole to take the outright lead at 13 under, which turned into a two-shot advantage after the final group bogeyed the same hole.
The Frenchman slid a putt by at the second which would have improved his score and McIlroy and Højgaard responded by birdieing the same hole to return to 12 under.
McIlroy gained momentum and put his approach inside four feet at the third, which he rolled in to rejoin Rozner at the summit.
The birdie trail continued for the World Number Three at the fourth to become the first player to reach 14 under and when he followed suit at the fifth, he was two clear.
Before McIlroy teed off at the sixth, Rozner bogeyed the same hole to inflate the Northern Irishman’s advantage to three.
Rory McIlroy joins Seve Ballesteros with six Race to Dubai titles:
Rozner and Højgaard replied with a birdie at the next, however, McIlroy continued to keep his nose out in front despite a bogey to close his front nine.
It became a two-way tussle with Højgaard following his birdie at the seventh, while Rozner slipped back after a double bogey at the ninth.
McIlroy narrowly missed chances to extend his lead at the start of his back nine and when he bogeyed the 13th, there were two at the top.
The 35-year-old showed his quality at the 16th by landing his approach inside a foot for his first birdie in 11 holes, which Højgaard could not match.
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