DUBAI: Rory McIlroy won the DP World Tour Championship for the third time and claimed his sixth Race to Dubai title in the process on Sunday, matching the tally of legendary Spaniard Seve Ballesteros. The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland made a crucial birdie on the par-4 16th hole to break a deadlock with Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard. He then birdied the par-5 18th hole for a three-under-par 69 that took him to 15-under for the four days and was enough for a two-shot win that also secured him a sixth Order of Merit.

The four-time major champion broke down on live television when asked what it meant to equal Ballesteros’ record. “It’s really cool. I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf. In the European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve,” said McIlroy, who is now two behind all-time record holder Colin Montgomerie’s tally of eight. “We had a Seve shirt from 1995 when he played his last Ryder Cup in our changing room last year... For me to be mentioned in the same breath as Seve, I am very proud.”

Rasmus, who was trying to follow in the footsteps of his twin brother Nicolai and take the trophy back to Denmark for a second year in a row, made a stunning 22-footer par save on the 17th hole, but could not put the pressure on McIlroy on the 18th as he settled for a par and a final round score of 71. McIlroy, who started with a bogey and then made four successive birdies, dropped a couple of shots around the turn to be tied with Hojgaard after 15 holes at 13-under. He finally edged ahead with a stunning second shot on the par-4 16th hole from 137 yards to less than a foot for his fifth birdie of the day and drained a six-footer on the final hole.

‘Fitting end to 2024’

“I think I would have been miserable for a few weeks if I hadn’t won today. I’ve been through a lot this year professionally and personally. It feels like the fitting end to 2024. I’ve persevered a lot. Had close calls. Wasn’t able to get it done. “So, to be able to get over the line, when I got off to a great start and didn’t have my best in the middle of the round, was very satisfying. I felt a lot of pressure out there, most of them self-inflicted. But to finish the way I did, I can now go and have a good few weeks off,” added McIlroy. Including the Zurich Classic that the world number three claimed alongside Shane Lowry, it was McIlroy’s fourth worldwide win of the season.

Hojgaard was disappointed at not winning the title, but happy to have secured the No1 card of the 10 PGA Tour cards on offer at the end of the week for the top 10 players who are not already members. The No1 card gives him entry into some of the big events, including the Players Championship. “I came to Abu Dhabi (the previous week) with the goal of securing the No1 PGA Tour card, and I am happy that I have done it,” said Hojgaard, who missed the card by one spot last year. “It sucks to lose, but you need to make birdies in the end and Rory did that. I battled hard through the day.”

Australia’s Adam Scott and Ireland’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 6th at 10-under. The 10 players who earned their PGA Tour 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 Ireland. — AFP