Rory McIlroy received the DP World Tour Championship for the third time and claimed his sixth Race to Dubai title within the course of, matching the tally of legendary Spaniard Seve Ballesteros.
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The 35-year-old from Northern Eire made a vital birdie on the par-4 sixteenth gap to interrupt a impasse with Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard.
He then birdied the par-5 18th gap for a three-under-par 69 that took him to 15-under for the 4 days and was sufficient for a two-shot win that additionally secured him a sixth Order of Benefit.
With the win, McIlroy pocketed $3 million ($A4.6m) out of the $10 million ($A15m) purse whereas additionally incomes a $2 million ($A3.1m) bonus for the Race to Dubai.
The four-time main champion broke down on dwell tv when requested what it meant to equal Ballesteros’ file.
“It’s actually cool. I believe everybody is aware of what Seve means to European golf. Within the European Ryder Cup locker room, all we’ve got are quotes of Seve,” mentioned McIlroy, who’s now two behind all-time file holder Colin Montgomerie’s tally of eight.
“We had a Seve shirt from 1995 when he performed his final Ryder Cup in our altering room final yr… For me to be talked about in the identical breath as Seve, I’m very proud.”
McIlroy claims DP World & Dubai titles | 00:53
Rasmus, who was attempting to comply with within the footsteps of his twin brother Nicolai and take the trophy again to Denmark for a second yr in a row, made a shocking 22-footer par save on the seventeenth gap, however couldn’t put the strain on McIlroy on the 18th as he settled for a par and a remaining spherical rating of 71.
McIlroy, who began with a bogey after which made 4 successive birdies, dropped a few pictures across the flip to be tied with Hojgaard after 15 holes at 13-under.
He lastly edged forward with a shocking second shot on the par-4 sixteenth gap from 137 yards to lower than a foot for his fifth birdie of the day and drained a six-footer on the ultimate gap.
“I believe I might have been depressing for a number of weeks if I hadn’t received immediately,” McIlroy mentioned.
“I’ve been by way of lots this yr professionally and personally. It feels just like the becoming finish to 2024. I’ve persevered lots. Had shut calls. Wasn’t in a position to get it carried out.
“So, to have the ability to recover from the road, once I obtained off to an important begin and didn’t have my greatest in the course of the spherical, was very satisfying. I felt numerous strain on the market, most of them self-inflicted. However to complete the best way I did, I can now go and have few weeks off.”
Together with the Zurich Traditional that the world quantity three claimed alongside Shane Lowry, it was McIlroy’s fourth worldwide win of the season.
Hojgaard was upset at not profitable the title, however blissful to have secured the No1 card of the ten PGA Tour playing cards on provide on the finish of the week for the highest 10 gamers who should not already members. The No1 card offers him entry into a number of the massive occasions, together with the Gamers Championship.
“I got here to Abu Dhabi (the earlier week) with the purpose of securing the No1 PGA Tour card, and I’m blissful that I’ve carried out it,” mentioned Hojgaard, who missed the cardboard by one spot final yr.
“It sucks to lose, however it’s essential to make birdies ultimately and Rory did that. I battled onerous by way of the day.”
Australia’s Adam Scott and Eire’s Lowry shot final-round 68s to tie for third place at 11-under par alongside France’s Antoine Rozner. England’s Tyrrell Hatton was solo sixth at 10-under.
The ten gamers who earned their PGA Tour playing cards are Hojgaard, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa, England’s Paul Waring, Dane Niklas Norgaard, Swede Jesper Svensson, Antoine Rozner of France, Italy’s Matteo Manassero, Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino and Tom McKibbin of Northern Eire.