Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (DUBAI)
Rory McIlroy narrowly missed out on a double crown at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship (DPWTC), conceding the finale’s title to Matt Fitzpatrick in Dubai, but he moved into second place on European golf’s elite list with an overall seventh Race to Dubai title.
McIlroy forced a play-off with an eagle on the final hole but eventually lost out on the winner’s cheque for the week-long $10 million tournament at Jumeirah Golf Estates. “It’s absolutely incredible. I knew I still had a bit of work to do to get over the line in the Race to Dubai,” said McIlroy, who will remain the world No.2.
The Northern Irishman topped the European tour’s season-ending rankings for a seventh time, and for the fourth season in a row. He broke a tie with Severiano Ballesteros and is one behind Colin Montgomerie, who achieved the feat eight times. “It seems within touching distance now,” said McIlroy, who is having an annual award instituted in his name.
“I was the first European to win the Grand Slam, and I’d love to be the most successful European in terms of winning Order of Merits and season-long races.”
During the prize presentation, His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, was on hand to present the trophies.
Earlier, Fitzpatrick had secured his third DPWTC win in style. The Englishman started the day one shot off the lead but made three birdies in the first five holes to stay in the hunt before finishing with a flourish to sign for a bogey-free 66. McIlroy made the eagle he needed at the last hole of the day to force a play-off, only to find the penalty area with his tee-shot at the first extra hole.
And Fitzpatrick took full advantage for a 10th DP World Tour victory in 195 starts to boost his confidence. Until he finished tied eighth in the PGA Championship in May, he did not have a top-10 for nearly 11 months. Though he did well at the Ryder Cup, he had not entered the winner’s circle as an individual since the 2023 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“It means the world,” Fitzpatrick said. “I struggled at the start of this year, obviously, and to turn it around in the summer like I did after the Ryder Cup. I’m so proud of myself, the effort that everyone in the team puts in behind the scenes.”
Four players – England’s Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Laurie Canter (67), Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg (66) and Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (68) – tied for third at 17 under par.
Before the start of the two-leg play-offs in Abu Dhabi to cap off the DP World Tour season, Marco Penge was the closest challenger to McIlroy. He finished around the 20th place mark in both events to finish second overall in the Race to Dubai.
He led 10 non-exempt players who will get their PGA Tour card for 2026. That list includes Canter, Kristoffer Reitan, Adrien Saddier, Alex Noren, John Parry, Haotong Li, Keita Nakajima, Neergaard-Petersen, and Jordan Smith.
