Rory McIlroy has his sights set on his next piece of golfing history after he claimed a sixth Race to Dubai title following an emotional victory at the DP World Tour Championship.
Heading into the year’s final event in Dubai, McIlroy held a healthy lead at the top of the season-ending Order of Merit rankings.
However, the Northern Irishman made sure there was no doubt, holding off young Dane Rasmus Hojgaard down the stretch to claim a two-shot victory and his fourth win of the year.
His sixth Order of Merit title – and third in a row – sees him draw level with European great Seve Ballesteros but McIlroy is not taking his foot off the gas and has set his sights on breaking Colin Montgomerie’s tally of eight titles.
‘I’m up for it,’ he later admitted. ‘I’ve just won my third in a row, and I’ve really made it a priority of my schedule over the last few years to give myself the best chance coming into the end of the year to win the Race to Dubai.
‘I don’t see that being any different for the foreseeable future. I’m going to go for my seventh next year and try to chase Monty down.’
While McIlroy’s latest triumph reinforces his legacy as one of Europe’s modern-day greats, the emotional scenes from the 35-year-old after winning on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates were illustrative of the rollercoaster year the World No.3 has endured.
Close calls at the US Open and the Irish Open have stung on the course, while McIlroy has also endured a tumultuous year with his personal life.
In May, Rory and wife, Erica, filed for divorce before reconciling a month later. There were emotional scenes as the pair posed alongside their daughter, Poppy, with the trophy on Sunday.
‘Erica, Poppy, I know you are here somewhere,’ McIlroy added during the trophy presentation. ‘I love you and thanks for sticking by me.’
‘I’ve been through a lot this year professionally, personally,’ he later said. ‘It feels like a fitting end to 2024. I’ve persevered this year a lot. Had close calls. Wasn’t able to 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.’
Asked whether this season had been the most draining of his career, McIlroy’s response was instant: ‘Yeah, it’s been quite the year.
‘But you know, I’m super happy with where I am in my career and in my life, and I feel like everything’s worked out the way it was supposed to.’
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