In a dramatic season finale in Dubai, Rory McIlroy secured a monumental seventh Race to Dubai title, eclipsing the legendary Seve Ballesteros, while Matt Fitzpatrick emerged victorious in the DP World Tour Championship after a tense playoff.
Emotional Triumph for McIlroy
An emotional Rory McIlroy described winning his seventh season-long Race to Dubai crown as surpassing his wildest dreams. The Northern Irishman was pipped to the tournament win by Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff but clinched the overall title to move past the late Seve Ballesteros's tally of six. McIlroy now sits just one behind the all-time record held by Colin Montgomerie.
McIlroy revealed a poignant conversation with Carmen, Ballesteros's former wife, before his final round. "She told me how proud he would have been," McIlroy told Sky Sports. "He means so much to this Tour and the European Ryder Cup team. To equal him last year was cool, but to surpass him this year, I didn’t get this far in my dreams, so it’s very cool."
The world number two has now set his sights on Montgomerie's record, stating emphatically, "I want it, of course I do. I was the first European to win the grand slam and I would love to be the European with the most wins in terms of the order of merit."
Fitzpatrick's Stunning Playoff Victory
Matt Fitzpatrick started the final day one shot behind McIlroy and Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen in a tightly packed leaderboard. While McIlroy began strongly, Fitzpatrick kept his nerve, carding a bogey-free round of 66.
The drama unfolded on the 18th hole. Fitzpatrick landed a birdie to take the clubhouse lead, forcing McIlroy and Neergaard-Petersen to need eagles to force a playoff. The Dane faltered, but McIlroy sank a stunning 15-foot putt for eagle to send the tournament into extra time.
In the playoff, both players missed the green with their approach shots, but it was Fitzpatrick who held his nerve to secure his third win in the event. "He [McIlroy] is one of only a few where you know you are going to a playoff," Fitzpatrick said. "You are two clear with one to play and you know you are going to a playoff because he did it again in typical Rory fashion."
Final Round Drama and Standings
McIlroy's final round was a rollercoaster. He moved clear at the top after going four under through his first seven holes, but a stumble on the back nine opened the door for his rivals.
Tommy Fleetwood and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen were among a group of four players who tied for third place after final rounds of 67. Tyrrell Hatton, the only other player with a mathematical chance of denying McIlroy the Race to Dubai title, fell away to finish in a share of 14th place.
Reflecting on his year, Fitzpatrick added, "I struggled at the start of the year, obviously, and to turn it round in the summer like I did, have the Ryder Cup like I did which is hard to top, but the way I played today – there was one bad shot all day. So proud of myself."
