Rory McIlroy got his hands on a sixth Race to Dubai crown on Sunday, after seeing off Rasmus Hojgaard to secure the DP World Tour Championship at the Earth Course
Rory McIlroy earned a comparison to arguably two of golf’s greatest players of all time in Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus on the way to winning the DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai.
McIlroy won the DP World Tour’s season finale for the third time in his career, and in the process clinched his sixth season-long title. It was the perfect ending to a topsy-turvy year for the 35-year-old, who suffered a number of near-misses in 2024, despite winning four times on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
His win at Jumeriah Golf Estates on Sunday was one of his most impressive, Topping off a blistering start out of the blocks with a professional showing down the stretch.
Having started the day with a bogey, McIlroy responded perfectly by making four-straight birdies in his next four holes to pull away with the outright lead. His round then stalled somewhat though, as the four-time major champion played his next 10 holes in two-over to allow Rasmus Hojgaard to draw level.
McIlroy’s experience ahead of the young Dane then shone through though, adding birdie No. 5 of the day thanks to an incredible approach into the par-four 15th that left a tap-in birdie. Hojgaard meanwhile could only make par, before McIlroy looked to continue his dominance a hole later.
Playing first, the European star played an superb six-iron into the green on the challenging par-three 17th, before Hojgaard stepped up and missed left. McIlroy’s ability to close out tournaments has been an issue in recent months, but his calm and collective approach down the stretch in Dubai on Sunday was compared to the best.
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After McIlroy’s impressive shot into the 17th, Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray claimed: “The finish of McIlroy looking like a Tiger Woods finish. A Jack Nicklaus finish.” Quite the compliment for the 35-year-old, who as mentioned, has struggled to close out during this campaign.
After both making par, McIlroy headed to the 18th hole with a one-shot advantage, before eventually securing a two-shot win after bettering Hojgaard’s par with a birdie at the last. As well as the mentions of Woods and Nicklaus, McIlroy has also drawn comparisons to European great, Seve Ballesteros.
In winning his sixth Race to Dubai title, the four-time major winner drew level with Ballesteros, a record that clearly means a lot to McIlroy. “Yeah, it’s really cool,” he said of drawing level with Ballesteros whilst fighting back his emotions. “I think everyone know what is Seve means to European golf and to Ryder Cup players.
“European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played (tearing up). He means so much to European golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.
