An emotional Rory McIlroy paid tribute to Seve Ballesteros after eclipsing the Spaniard by clinching his seventh Race to Dubai title, regardless of being crushed to the DP World Tour Championship by Matt Fitzpatrick.
McIlroy now sits only one behind Colin Montgomerie’s report of successful the European tour’s season-long race eight occasions.
For a very long time on Sunday it regarded like McIlroy would additionally win the ultimate occasion of the DP World Tour’s season, holding a two-shot lead earlier than faltering down the stretch as Fitzpatrick surged into the lead with a birdie on the final.
That left McIlroy needing to gap a 15-foot eagle putt on the 18th gap to drive a play-off together with his European Ryder Cup team-mate.
And, as he did on the Irish Open in September, McIlroy roared with delight after erasing the two-shot deficit.
However in contrast to in Eire, McIlroy was unable to win the play-off, with Fitzpatrick tapping in a brief par putt to say his third victory within the occasion.
