Rory McIlroy held off Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard to win the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and clinch his sixth Race to Dubai title.
The Northern Irishman completed two strokes forward of Hojgaard on 15 beneath at Jumeirah Golf Estates after a three-under-par 69 in his closing spherical.
McIlroy, 35, was confirmed because the Race to Dubai winner halfway by means of his spherical when nearest challenger Thriston Lawrence – who had wanted to win the event to have any likelihood of clinching the general title – completed at one beneath.
It’s the third 12 months in succession that McIlroy has topped the tour’s season rankings and his sixth title total – matching Seve Ballesteros’ document.
“Everybody is aware of what Seve means to European golf and Ryder Cup gamers,” an emotional McIlroy instructed Sky Sports activities.
“The European Ryder Cup locker room, all we’ve got are quotes from Seve. We had a altering room with Seve’s 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, I am very proud.”
Sharing a three-way lead firstly of the ultimate spherical, McIlroy put two pictures between himself and Hojgaard with 4 birdies in his first 5 holes.
However bogeys on the ninth and thirteenth allowed the Dane to attract degree with 4 holes remaining.
Simply as Hojgaard was piling on the strain, McIlroy produced a surprising method shot on the sixteenth to tee up a birdie putt.
It was exactly the kind of dangerous, aggressive play that has labored towards McIlroy up to now nevertheless it moved him one stroke clear on this event with two holes left.
Hojgaard was compelled to be aggressive in reply, however the Dane narrowly missed a birdie putt on the 18th – relieving the strain on McIlroy who holed his personal birdie try to seal the win.
Regardless of his success this season, McIlroy failed to finish his decade-long wait for one more main.
The 35-year-old collapsed throughout his closing spherical of June’s US Open, finally shedding by one stroke to Bryson DeChambeau.
“I have been by means of loads this 12 months, professionally, personally and it feels just like the becoming finish to 2024,” stated McIlroy.
“I’ve persevered this 12 months loads, had shut calls, wasn’t capable of get it carried out, so to have the ability to recover from the road… I am actually happy with the best way I completed and fortunately I held on on a tricky day and acquired the job carried out.”
McIlroy will probably be joined on the PGA Tour subsequent 12 months by countryman Tom McKibbin.
The 21-year-old shot a 72 in his fourth spherical to complete tied for eleventh on eight beneath and declare the ultimate twin membership spot.
