Rory McIlroy finished the 2024 DP World Tour season in style by winning the DP World Tour Championship as he was crowned Race to Dubai champion for the sixth time.
After a third placed finish at last week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, only South Africa's Thriston Lawrence could deny McIlroy from claiming his sixth Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex of his career.
Lawrence needed to win and for the World Number Three to finish in 12th or worse for him to overturn McIlroy's huge advantage, but his challenge never materialised as he carded a one-under-par total at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The Northern Irishman shared the lead after the first and third rounds, and looked in total control when he burst three shots clear thanks to a run of four straight birdies from the second.
Rasmus Højgaard remained in touch and capitalised on bogeys at the ninth and 13th from McIlroy to sit alongside him at the summit at 13 under.
However, birdies at the 16th and 18th paid dividends for McIlroy as he secured his third triumph on the Earth course by two shots to complete a season-finale double.
"It means a lot. I've been through a lot this year, professionally, personally and it feels like a fitting end to 2024," McIlroy said.
"I've persevered a lot this year, had close calls and couldn't get it done. So to be able to get over the line. I'm really pleased with the way I finished and thankfully I hung on on a tough day and got it done.
"It's been a long year, my 27th tournament, which is a lot to me. Looking forward to a little bit of downtime.
"I have a lot of friends and my family here in Dubai so I'm sure we'll have a good night tonight."
Antoine Rozner, who shared the third-round lead with McIlroy and Højgaard, birdied the opening hole to take the outright lead at 13 under, which turned into a two-shot advantage after the final group bogeyed the same hole.
The Frenchman slid a putt by at the second which would have improved his score and McIlroy and Højgaard responded by birdieing the same hole to return to 12 under.
Rory McIlroy joins Seve Ballesteros with six Race to Dubai titles 🏆 pic.twitter.com/npfVXenWTF
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 17, 2024
McIlroy gained momentum and put his approach inside four feet at the third, which he rolled in to rejoin Rozner at the summit.
The birdie trail continued for the World Number Three at the fourth to become the first player to reach 14 under and when he followed suit at the fifth, he was two clear.
Before McIlroy teed off at the sixth, Rozner bogeyed the same hole to inflate the Northern Irishman's advantage to three.
Rozner and Højgaard replied with a birdie at the next, however, McIlroy continued to keep his nose out in front despite a bogey to close his front nine.
It became a two-way tussle with Højgaard following his birdie at the seventh, while Rozner slipped back after a double bogey at the ninth.
McIlroy narrowly missed chances to extend his lead at the start of his back nine and when he bogeyed the 13th, there was a two at the top.
The 35-year-old showed his quality at the 16th by landing his approach inside a foot for his first birdie in 11 holes, which Højgaard could not match.
The Dane drained a clutch par putt at the 17th to remain one behind going down the last as the leader narrowly missed his birdie effort.
Neither player found the green in two and Højgaard could not hole his birdie effort to extend the season. That gave McIlroy two putts for victory as he finished with a closing birdie and total of 15 under.
Former World Number One Adam Scott and Ireland's Shane Lowry carded final round 68s to finish in a tie for third at 11 under alongside Rozner, who birdied the last to earn a PGA TOUR card for next season.
Englishman Tyrrell Hatton was one shot further back in solo sixth, while Scot Robert MacIntyre wrapped up the top ten alongside Chilean Joaquin Niemann, Japan's Keita Nakajima and Swede Jesper Svensson at nine under.
